What Lies Ahead
by Siancore
Summary: Just an idea I had; a little S6 speculation going on here, plus some headcanon. Trying to figure out how Morgan is gonna fit into the story now. I will look at the Wolves a little, but not going to be writing epic battle scenes haha Either way, Morgan's gonna be there and he's awesome. I am Richonne Trash though so let's see how this goes.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Just an idea I had; a little S6 speculation going on here, plus some headcanon. Trying to figure out how Morgan is gonna fit into the story now. I will look at the Wolves a little, but not going to be writing epic battle scenes haha Either way, Morgan's gonna be there and he's awesome.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead (but I met Tony Moore that one time at that con, and he doesn't own it either so I'll live…)

Warning: Language and maybe sex… _maybe_

* * *

Rick had a rough few days and the day after he was almost exiled; killed Pete Anderson in cold blood; met his friend Morgan again; and was thoroughly and relentlessly scolded by Michonne was no different. Morgan's arrival had not only brought mixed emotions for Rick, but also news of an impending threat in the Wolves. Rick was surprised to find that his friend had changed so much considering how unhinged he was the last time their paths had crossed. Rick was concerned when his friend informed him he had left the men alive who had threatened to kill him. They were clearly on different pages in the same horrific story. Morgan's losses had shown him that all life is precious; Rick's losses had taught him that if keeping those he cared for safe meant killing others, he would do it without blinking.

Plans had been set to fortify the walls surrounding Alexandria; though some of the locals scoffed at the idea. The repeated cry of 'the walls have protected us for this long' were largely ignored by Rick and his people for they knew what truly lie outside of the walls. They had seen the depravity within humans and despite all that Rick had done to jeopardize their stay in the Safe-Zone, they were not the bad guys; there were worse people in the world than Rick Grimes.

Since Deanna had understandably taken time to grieve her losses Aaron had, with her blessing, asked a few of the new residents to form a small committee to handle the looming threat. He spoke with Michonne, Daryl and Glenn first at his home; Rick was with Morgan.

"So, what's first?" asked Aaron as he closed the door and took his seat at the table.

"We're going to need all hands on deck," Glenn offered. "Your people are gonna need to fight."

Aaron nodded knowingly.

Michonne looked to the door then back at the two men who were talking.

"Are we gonna wait for Rick?" she asked, not wanting to leave him out of the initial planning.

Daryl now looked at Aaron and Glenn as well; they all seemed a little awkward.

"How is he _feeling_?" Glenn asked.

"He's not bat shit crazy, if that's what you think," said Michonne.

She surprised herself with her snappy retort. Though she knew some of his recent actions were questionable, she would not sit and discuss Rick's mental state at length with anyone else but him; that did not seem right.

"Sorry," she offered, noting the expression her friend wore. "He should still be here to help us plan."

Just then, as if on cue, Rick came through the door with Morgan following closely behind. Rick took a seat next to Michonne, gave her a look that only meant something to them and then proceeded to speak.

"What'd we miss?" he asked.

"Just sayin' that the locals gon have to learn to defend themselves," Daryl proffered.

"Right. Those who are able to fight need to learn how to; hand-to-hand if possible. While we're gonna have to shoot some of these assholes, we don't want to have an all-out gun battle. That'll draw walkers and we sure as hell can't fight on two fronts against the dead and the living," Rick explained.

Michonne nodded her head in agreement.

"Sasha will take out as many as she can from the tower, but we're gonna need to double the people on watch. Use upstairs windows and rooftops if we can; we need to lookout in all directions. We've seen what these people can do. If we can spot them before they get too close, we'll have an advantage," he added.

"We should get some nails or other sharp metal objects and boards and make some tyre shredders as well. Have 'em set up on the roads. Do it under the cover of night in case they're watchin' us, which I guarantee that they are," Michonne said.

"Right," said Rick. "Morgan, can you and Glenn handle the traps and defences? Me and Michonne can start weapons training…"

"No," Michonne said. "I'll help with the traps. Daryl's better with different weapons; he should be with you. I'll go with Glenn or Morgan."

When Michonne had found out what Rick was doing; what he was projecting on that other woman, she was of course disheartened. She had recognized that Rick had reciprocated the attraction she felt, and had hoped that, once they had reached a safe place where they could catch their breath, they could explore their feelings and act on their attraction. The Safe-Zone, however, had triggered some odd behaviour in Rick; behaviour which had caused Michonne hurt. While she was still with him, she was pulling away from him; even though he was seeing clearly again. Maybe she was protecting her feelings; maybe she was just tired. Either way, Rick noticed.

He stared at Michonne as if to wordlessly ask: "What are you doing?"

He knew they worked best as a team, and she usually partnered with him; somehow, he thought she was trying to distance herself from him. Maybe he was being paranoid, but when she avoided his gaze, he knew his inkling was probably right; she did not want to be around him.

"I can handle the traps," said Morgan. "I'm good at it and happy to have you help, Michonne."

She looked at Morgan and nodded firmly; Rick looked at the two of them.

"Fine," Rick then said. "Daryl, you're with me. Aaron, round everyone up for a town hall meeting in about twenty minutes and we'll let 'em know what's what."

With that Rick stood, looked down at Michonne and then walked out the door.

Michonne and Daryl exited Aaron's house at the same time in silence; she was pleased to see him return and he seemed more at ease with being in Alexandria now that he found some purpose. Seeing her friends happy made Michonne happy as she and Daryl shared a small smile. Her smile fell away when she noticed a visibly annoyed Rick Grimes waiting for her.

"You got a minute?" he asked her; Daryl kept walking as Michonne nodded.

"What is it?" she asked, aware that the other men had just walked out of the house and were approaching.

"We good?" Rick queried as he gestured between them.

"Yes," she answered.

"You sure? It seems like you're still pissed at me," Rick stated as he tilted his head to the side.

He could feel the strain; she was avoiding him.

"I said what I had to say, Rick. And I'm still with you," she said quietly as Aaron and Glenn passed and Morgan sat on the step waiting for the pair to finish talking.

"But?" he offered.

"But nothin'. We don't have to be joined at the hip, right?" Michonne countered.

"No we don't," Rick said with a sigh.

Michonne turned and saw Morgan sitting patiently.

"He's waiting. We'll get started on the traps. Good luck with the meeting. If anyone wants to help, send 'em over to the front gate. I'll see you later."

Michonne then motioned for Morgan; she walked away, not waiting for him. He pressed a hand to Rick's shoulder in passing.

xXxXx

Rick stood in front of the small crowd; most of his bandages were removed, his face was clean but his eyes still looked stern and somewhat menacing.

"There's trouble coming," said Aaron as everyone quietened down. "On our last run we came across some of the carnage that was left by a group calling themselves the Wolves. They've been going through communities in their path and destroying them. We're in their path and they're coming."

"What does this mean?" asked someone in the back.

"It means," Rick started. "That we've gotta fight."

A few residents whispered to each other unnerved by Rick's audacity.

"We?" asked someone. "You've been actin' like it's you all and then us. So now it's _we_? Now we're all together?"

"If you don't want it to be that way, don't let the gate hit you in the ass on your way out. The fact is, you need us and I ain't takin' my family back out there without a fight so either it's us _together_ or y'all are gonna have more problems than these fuckin' Wolves…"

"Rick," Aaron said, getting his attention.

"What Rick's saying is we need to be a united front should they target us, and just so you all know, Deanna has said anyone who doesn't pull their weight in some way is no longer welcome here," Aaron explained.

xXxXx

"You're not from this community, are you? How long have you been with Rick?" Morgan asked as he and Michonne gathered the materials they would need.

She looked at him a little oddly.

"You don't recognize me?" Michonne asked.

Morgan furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes as he strained his memory; he shook his head no.

"I was with Rick when we found you in his home town," she explained.

Morgan raised his eyebrows contemplatively.

"Uh. I thought I dreamed you up. The woman with the sword; that was you?"

"In the flesh," Michonne answered not looking up from what she was doing.

"So, how long have you and Rick been together?" Morgan asked causing Michonne to look up this time.

She glanced at the man before her incredulously.

"We're not together," Michonne answered.

"Oh, I just thought because you all live in the same house and I've seen you with his kids…"

"We're _not_ together," she said more firmly this time.

Michonne really did not want to be discussing what was or was not going on between her and Rick, especially with someone she did not know. Morgan raised both hands apologetically and continued working away.

xXxXx

Rick sat in the corner of the living room of the house he shared with Michonne; the dim light of the small lamp did little to illuminate the room. He checked his watch again; the time read ten forty-five. Rick sighed and rubbed his hand over his mouth. Michonne and Morgan went out to set the traps when the sun had set; they were now overdue. He heard footsteps coming down the stairs; it was Carl.

"Just grabbing a glass of water," the teenager said tiredly. "She not home yet?"

"Nah, not yet. I'm gonna wait up a little longer. Might head on over to Aaron's place see if they told him when they'd be back. You be alright?" said Rick.

"Yeah, all good. Go ask Aaron," Carl replied.

Rick grabbed his windbreaker and threw it on before telling his son to lock the door behind him as Michonne had the key.

…..

Rick approached the front door of Aaron's house, raised his hand to knock but then stopped; from inside, he could hear the faint sounds of laughter. It was Michonne's laughter, he was certain. At once he felt relief wash over him as well as annoyance. His head began to throb.

 _Why the fuck didn't she come straight home?_ He thought sourly.

He knocked loudly three times and waited for an answer; he was met by Eric who invited him in. Rick searched the room and did not acknowledge Aaron or Morgan; instead his eyes fell on Michonne who was sitting on the couch. Everyone went quiet like a bunch of teenagers who were caught by an adult doing something they should not have been doing. Aaron was first to speak.

"Hey, Rick. All went well today," the younger man said in an upbeat tone.

Rick looked at Aaron, nodded his head and then glanced back at Michonne.

"When did y'all get back?" Rick asked flatly; his countenance was one of irritation.

Michonne lifted her chin, letting Rick know his steely gaze did not intimidate her as it did to the others.

"Hour or so," she answered, noting that Rick's jaw had clenched.

"Didn't think to, uh I dunno, stop by the fuckin' house, _our_ house and tell me?" he asked scathingly.

Michonne stood and looked around at everyone.

"Thanks for the supper, guys. See you tomorrow," she said and made her way to the door.

Rick said nothing and followed her outside; she walked until she reached the road and then turned to face him.

"What the fuck was that?" She asked, now thoroughly annoyed herself.

Rick kept walking until he was standing right in front of Michonne; his proximity made her heart beat faster.

"I was waitin' for you to come home. Anything could've happened. You didn't think to let me know you were back safe? I was worried somethin' happened to you," he said, trying to keep his voice quiet.

"It was late, Morgan offered me food. I didn't think you'd be all shitty about it…"

"I thought something happened to you," he said more loudly just as Morgan stepped outside.

"Well you didn't have to come over here and speak to me like that, Rick. Don't you ever speak to me like that in front of our friends again. Like I'm your kid who you just caught smoking. You don't get to chastise me…"

"Rick?" Morgan called out.

Slowly, Rick drew his stare from Michonne and looked at the man standing not too far away.

"Sorry, I should've reported back to you right away. It's on me," he said in earnest.

"It's done. Just glad y'all made it back safe," he sighed and looked back to Michonne who was now walking away from him.

He bid Morgan goodnight and then sprinted after Michonne; he caught her gently by the arm indicating he wanted her to slow down.

"It won't happen again. I'm sorry," he proffered.

Michonne glanced over at him.

"I should've let you know we were back. I'm sorry too," she replied.

They began to walk home in silence. Michonne, feeling as if eyes were on her, turned her head and saw Morgan still standing outside watching them.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for stopping by.

Thoughts? Comments?

My sister ships Morchonne and it's fuckin' annoying so this is dedicated to her! Haha


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the response to this. I loved all of the long reviews and hearing everyone's opinions on their relationship. I have to point out that Michonne actually did have some stern words with Rick re the whole mess that he created with his odd behaviour, I just didn't write it in the first chapter. He knows that she knows he messed up; he knows he let her down doubly.

 **Songbird11** : that's exactly what I was trying to convey here; Michonne is still with Rick in the areas of their relationship that they have defined (co-parenting; remaining friends; co-leading etc.) and they still care for one another (she defends him and he worries about her); but there is a point where she needs to, as **literaturechick** said, take control of her situation by working with others.

We'll definitely get to see more of Michonne developing friendships outside of Rick; I think you, dear readers will find it interesting to see how Rick reacts.

xXxXx

There was an eeriness to the atmosphere; a strange feeling of anticipation which caused the air to become thick with worry. The residents of the Safe-Zone knew that there was trouble afoot; they just did not know when that trouble would come knocking on their front door. For the following two days after they had formed the unofficial Council and assigned people new and extra duties, everyone was on high alert and remaining prepared. There was rarely time to be spent on leisurely activities; everyone who was able-bodied was doing their part.

Rick was satisfied with the progress of those who needed weapon and combat training; while Alexandria had a sufficient supply of weapons and ammunition, Rick wanted to reserve what they had for when they really needed it. The knife and other weapon training was coming along promisingly. Those less adept at killing walkers were given the duty of dispatching any stragglers that got close to the outside walls, under the watchful eyes of Rick and Daryl.

Rick's eyes then shifted over to where the walker traps were being positioned near the front gate to provide ease of access for them when leaving for and returning from runs. He watched as Michonne helped Glenn, Aaron and Morgan to carry the wooden structures and drop them to the ground; Michonne then used a hammer, wire and steel pegs to fix the traps in place. He felt as if he had not seen her all day. She had taken an early watch shift so was not in the house when Rick and the children rose that morning; she had spent the rest of the day with Maggie and Morgan securing materials for more traps while Rick, Abraham and Aaron devised escape routes should they need them. Presently Rick's attention was torn between making sure that Eugene and other less confident individuals were able to incapacitate a walker with a knife, and watching Michonne; her laughter gaining his focus.

Rick could hardly blame her for wanting to work with others in the group instead of him; he knew why she had not been spending much time with him. She had said it very clearly to him, when she had reprimanded him for acting a fool and putting his family in danger. Michonne thought that there was something between the two of them; something that was a result of their mutual attraction. Something that they could explore now that they were in a place where it was a possibility.

 _You hurt me; you made me feel stupid, Rick. I thought we had something. I guess I was wrong._

Her words still rang in his ears and he felt another pang of guilt for how he had acted. There was something there, he wanted to tell her, but he could scarcely process his thoughts. Now that he had had time to think, Rick was almost certain he had ruined anything that might have eventuated between himself and Michonne. Knowing how she felt was very distracting for Rick, now that his head was clear; he found himself thinking about her all the time.

"Shit! Fuck!" Michonne screamed as she dropped the hammer to the ground and clutched at her hand.

Rick, hearing the panic and pain in her voice, ran from where he was standing to be at her side. Glenn was trying to get her to stop moving so he could assess the damage.

"What happened?" Asked a rattled Rick.

"Ow, ow. Shit! I banged my fuckin' finger! God. I'm so stupid!" Michonne cried as she kept shifting; as if physically trying to distance herself from the sharp pain.

"Shhh. Hey. _Stop._ Stop. Let me see," offered Rick gently as he pressed his hand to the small of her back causing her to stand still.

"Can you move it?" He asked softly as he held her by the wrist.

She shook her head no.

"I'm gonna have to touch it. Hey, Michonne. Focus. I'm gonna have to touch it. Make sure it's not broken. Okay?" Rick asked evenly.

She nodded and held her breath, wincing as Rick examined the damaged area; a searing pain shot through the bone.

"How bad is it?" Michonne asked through gritted teeth.

"It's broken. _Shit_. Come on, let's go get it taken care of," said Rick as he called out to Daryl to finish up.

He then walked beside Michonne with his hand at her back.

xXxXx

Rick helped Carl clear the dishes from dinner as the teenager filled the sink; Rick then went into the living room where Michonne and Judith were after he heard knocking at the door. Judith was in her portable crib and Michonne was just letting Morgan in.

"Hey, Rick…"

"Everything okay?" Rick asked hurriedly instead of greeting his friend back. People rarely visited their home unless it was to discuss a problem with their leader.

"Yeah, everything's good. Just thought I'd come by and check on how our patient's doin'," he said with a chuckle whilst referring to Michonne.

The three of them took up a seat; Michonne and Morgan on the sofa and Rick in the armchair.

"It's fine. I've had worse things happen to me, so this is nothing but an inconvenience," she explained while pointing her heavily bandaged finger to the ceiling.

Morgan chortled and Rick just sat there staring at them.

"So you'll be ready for watch tonight?" Morgan asked, sounding hopeful.

"Ah, yeah," answered Michonne all too aware of Rick's burning gaze. "Are you rostered on in the tower too?"

She asked knowing that he was as Maggie had informed her in passing.

"Yes. I switched with Rosita. I much prefer your conversation to Eugene's," Morgan offered with a playful smile.

Rick cleared his throat.

 _Takin' watch ain't about jawin' all night like some chatty teenager._ Rick thought sourly.

"I actually came over so we could walk together," Morgan said.

Rick crossed his arms and sighed; Michonne threw him a cautionary look.

"It's early, ain't it?" Rick finally spoke up.

"I don't know, Rick. You're the only one in this house with a watch," Michonne said unimpressed by Rick's rudeness to his friend.

Morgan stifled a laugh as Rick laughed sarcastically.

"Oh, what d'ya know, you're right," Rick offered as mordantly as his laugh was while peering at his watch.

"Yeah, you're still too early," said Rick.

Morgan ignored the impoliteness of his friend's tone and decided to chuckle; he figured all of the responsibility of being a leader and father was weighing heavily on him, and he was right. Rick had to protect his family and their new home. He had to prove to the original members of the Safe-Zone that he was capable of leading them in a time of immense danger. He needed them to see why this group of people who were his family trusted him; Rick needed to make amends with his family as well.

Rick was also slightly annoyed that his family time with Michonne and the children was being interrupted. He had barely seen Michonne in the past couple of days and was just about to settle in next to her and listen as she and Judith spoke prattle to one another and giggled loudly. That was the best part of his day, sitting back while Michonne made his children happy and now, their friend was depriving him of it.

"Well, I do have a gift for Michonne since it was my fault she banged her finger…"

"It wasn't your fault, I should have been more careful," she offered with a small smile.

"I shouldn't have been making you laugh…"

 _Ugh I shouldn't have to listen to this._ Thought Rick.

"Okay. Well, what did you bring us? What do we need most, Rick?" Michonne looked over at him with a small smile, indicating to Morgan that whatever gift he had for her, she would share with Rick as well.

 _Some time alone, that's what we need._ Rick said inwardly.

Rick shrugged, noting her effort to include him in the conversation.

"Toilet paper's always good," he smiled back at Michonne and held her gaze as he silently offered apologies for his sour mood; she understood.

Morgan felt somewhat like a third wheel in their presence suddenly.

"I heard," he started while reaching into his top pocket. "These were your favourite candy bars."

Michonne turned to see the Big Cat bar in Morgan's hand. She smiled widely and took it from him.

"You heard correctly. Thank you," she said while standing and calling out to Carl.

She unwrapped the candy broke it in half and held a portion out for the teenager.

"Yes! Thanks," he said as he shoved it into his mouth, said hello to Morgan and went back to tidying the kitchen.

Michonne then looked down at her remaining piece; she stepped closer to Rick, broke it in half again and offered it to him. Rick usually declined when Michonne tried to share her candy with him, preferring that she enjoy it on her own as he knew she had a sweet tooth. This time, however, he smiled at her and took the candy; his fingers lingered on hers a moment longer than was necessary as he took it from her hand. Rick then thanked her, placed it in his mouth and glanced over at Morgan.

xXxXx

Rick tossed in his bed for what seemed like the hundredth time; for some reason, sleep did not find him that evening. His mind was awash with worry about the impending threat. Would they strike tonight? Would they try to take out the people on watch first and then creep over the walls under the cover of night? Rick's thoughts then went to Michonne who was almost due to finish her duties.

 _Michonne_.

Rick was annoyed with himself for how he had taken her for granted and disregarded her feelings out of obliviousness. Before they had arrived in the Safe-Zone, he had sometimes let his mind entertain ideas of the two of them together. He knew it was not a possibility out on the road, but part of what made him agree so readily with Michonne to go Alexandria was the promise of a second chance; a second chance at living. A second chance at love.

In no time at all, his own fragile mind had confused him and led him down a path he would never have travelled otherwise. Dealing with trauma can be an unpredictable process and Rick had become unpredictable. He wondered how he could make it up to Michonne, though she did not ask him to. He wondered, if he could have had more strength of mind and will, would Michonne be sharing his bed with him instead of being on watch with another man. Another man who did not let her down and hurt her; a man who brought her candy and made her laugh. Rick wanted to be that type of man for her, he feared though that this realization had come to him too late.

Rick swung his legs out of bed and walked down stairs; he entered the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. He finished it off and then went to return upstairs when he heard someone at the front door. He could hear the key being placed in the lock and knew it was Michonne. She whispered a goodnight to someone, locked the door from the inside and turned to find Rick standing in nothing but his boxer shorts.

"Shit. Rick you scared me," Michonne said as she placed the keys on the hook.

"Sorry, I was just gettin' water. You hungry?" he asked, feeling her eyes roam over his bare body.

"Uh? No. Thank you. I'm good," Michonne offered, her face warm from being caught checking Rick out.

"Quiet out there?" Rick asked, pleased that they were alone and talking.

The sexual tension in the air was palpable.

"Yeah. All quiet. Did Judy get off to sleep easy?" Michonne asked.

"Nah, she was frettin' a little, but I finally got her down about two hours ago. She's so stubborn," Rick offered.

"Yeah, like her daddy," Michonne joked causing Rick to grin and chuckle.

"I think she just sleeps easier when you're close. So yeah, she is just like her daddy," Rick said with a smile causing Michonne to beam coyly.

They both fell silent a moment.

"You headin' up?" Michonne finally asked.

Rick nodded.

"After you," he gestured as she moved towards the stairs; he followed behind her mesmerized by the sway of her hips.

They ascended the stairs in silence and then bid each other goodnight before going to their respective bedrooms. Rick sighed and then climbed into his bed; he could hear Michonne getting ready for bed across the hall from him. Suddenly, he heard the squeaky hinges of her bedroom door, her bare footfalls and then a soft tapping at his door. Rick sat up immediately, turned on his bedside lamp and then ambled over to see what she needed.

"Hey, sorry to be a bother. This is kind o' awkward, but I need a hand," she said.

"Sure, anything," Rick replied eagerly.

"Could you unhook the back of my bra? I can't do it with this stupid broken finger," she said shyly.

Rick stood silently a moment; wondering if he had heard her correctly. Michonne turned her back and glanced over her shoulder at him. Rick snapped out of the slight surprise he had been overcome with. He slowly slid his hand up underneath the fabric of her tank top. Her skin felt so soft and smooth and warm to touch. Rick unclasped the garment and then withdrew his hands, lightly brushing his fingers over her back. Michonne shivered from his touch before instinctively folding her arms over her chest.

"Thank you," she whispered and offered him a smile before returning to her bedroom.

Michonne closed her door, leaned against it and chided herself for getting Rick's assistance at that moment. She did not want to give him mixed signals since she had decided to pull away from Rick. Yet having his hands on her flesh was not going to help her get over whatever attraction she was feeling for him.

Rick sighed loudly as he closed his door; he was not going to get much sleep now, he realized, as he was certain he wanted to touch Michonne further.

A/N: I want to know how the eff these two can stand to be in the same house as one another on the show. The sexual tension between them is so strong, it's like, just hurry up and bone! Ugh! But back to this fic, how can she pull away when he's traipsing around half naked? Lol does she really want to? Let's find out next time on this story I'm writing when I should be sleeping!

More to come!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I really do love hearing from you all and these reviews have been fantastic. Thanks to: ashencharlie; songbird11; literaturechick; Richonne1317; KK; severelybabykryptonite; focusedOnProsperity; blacklitchick; Beautiful77; CodeName-M.e; kdthle23; and A. Thanks to all of my silent readers as well. You all rock!

What some of you said about Rick not realising what he had until it was gone is so true for this; Michonne has spent so much time with him and the kids and now when she wants to spend time with other people, he misses having her around. Michonne should definitely spend time with others; as for Morgan, I'm trying not to spoil what his intentions with Michonne are. He does like to be around her though. Is Rick reading too much into it or should he be genuinely worried that his neighbour is trying to cut his lawn? LOL Loving how some of you want Rick to suffer! Haha He really needs to show her how much he appreciates her, how will he do that? They communicate so much without words, is it time for him to sit down and let it all out? Or does he need to make a gesture? I love hearing what you all think! Okay, let's check in…

Warning: unsolicited violence

* * *

The night was still and quiet; one rarely heard the sound of any nocturnal creatures in the surrounding area, save for the occasional hideous groan from a walker.

"I'm so glad you brought these," said Michonne as she and Carol sat in the tower on first watch eating the cookies Carol had baked.

"I know how much of a sweet tooth you are," Carol smiled. "Don't ruin your appetite now. Wouldn't want Rick slaving over a hot stove for you and then you end up full from cookies."

Both women laughed; their shift was almost coming to an end as they glanced out across the darkness.

"How is Rick? I haven't had the chance to talk to him much since we've been on alert," Carol queried.

Michonne kept her eyes trained on the surrounding area as she finished chewing her cookie.

"Rick's _Rick_ , ya know. He's good. Be better when we get this under control," she explained.

"Is he thinking of stepping up more in the leadership role now that Deanna's steppin' back?" Carol asked further.

Michonne shrugged, not feeling comfortable in talking about Rick's intentions.

"Not sure," she answered honestly. "I think people just naturally gravitate towards him and expect that he will so he'll do whatever we all want, I guess. Whatever's best for us."

Carol nodded; she went to say something else but the women heard the distinct whistle that let them know someone had arrived to relieve them of their duties.

"They're early," offered Carol as she made her way down first.

Michonne gathered up her katana on her back and the remaining cookies in her pocket and then followed along behind her friend. Once she reached the bottom of the tower, she found Carol standing with her hands in the air and speaking to someone.

"It was only me in there," she said. "Why don't you put the gun down and we'll talk about it."

Michonne could hear the unfamiliar voice of a man, but could not make out what he was saying.

"There's only you and me here, buddy. Let's just be cool and talk this through. No need for anyone to get hurt," she said loudly enough for Michonne to hear.

The younger woman peered outside and saw a rough looking man with straggly hair, a dirty face and what looked to be a 'w' written on his forehead. He held a gun to Carol as the older woman tried to talk him down while pretending she was alone, thus giving Michonne the element of surprise should she move to take him out.

"I got ten minutes before someone comes to relieve you two," the man said. "Quit playin' games and tell the other bitch to come out. I been watchin' people take watch here for a while now, so I know you're not alone, bitch!"

He cocked the hammer on the gun.

"Hey, easy," Michonne said as she stepped from the darkness and held her hands up. "You got us. Just don't do anything stupid, now."

The young man sneered as he shifted the aim of his pistol between the both of them.

"I'm gonna need you to take that sword and put it on the ground, right now!" he ordered and Michonne slowly complied.

His eyes darted from Michonne to Carol trying to ensure neither of them tried anything; he did not want to have to shoot them both after he had made the decision to enter the Safe-Zone and accost them. He was relatively certain he could take down two women, kill one and abduct the other. Each night since he had been casing the tower, it had been a male and female pairing; he knew trying to subdue a man would be far more difficult so he took his chance when two women were at the post. So far, his impromptu idea was working. Now all he had to decide on was which woman he would kill with the sword.

As he tried to think quickly, there was a sharp pain that flashed through the back of his head as something struck it, knocking him unconscious. As he slumped to the ground, Carol grabbed his gun and Michonne looked for something to tie him up with as Maggie and Rosita stood in front of them; Maggie with the brick she had used as a weapon still in her hand.

xXxXx

The small light bulb swung overhead in the garden shed as Glenn and Aaron tied the intruder to a rusted chair using electrical wires. Maggie and Rosita took their watch shift; Carol went to get Rick while Michonne and Morgan waited silently out in the backyard of the vacant home near the shed.

Rick's face was covered in an expression of anger coupled with a trace of disbelief as he approached the shed; Carol had stayed with Judith and Carl. Michonne straightened up as he stopped in front of them. He looked her over and his expression softened drastically.

"You okay?" was the first thing he said.

She had expected to receive a reprimand for being on watch when the man had infiltrated their walls, instead Rick asked about her wellbeing. She thought he was going to scold her for failing, instead he looked relieved that she was alright. Michonne nodded and felt self-conscious as he looked at her with something akin to adoration.

"He's inside. Daryl and Abraham are doin' perimeter check right now, but I think it was just him," she said softly.

Rick then nodded and placed his hand to her shoulder before entering; Michonne followed after him while Morgan stayed outside.

"Has he said anything?" Asked Rick as he looked at the man with disregard.

"No," answered Aaron.

"You two should go help Daryl and Abe, we got this," he said of him and Michonne.

The two men nodded and left the small space; Morgan then entered the shed, causing the young man to chortle.

"You," he said as Rick and Michonne looked questioningly.

"You know this asshole?" Rick asked his friend.

"He sure does. He let me and my buddy live after we tried to kill him," he spat.

Michonne glanced at Morgan incredulously while Rick felt the ire start welling inside of him.

"You wanna explain?" He said as he stepped towards Morgan.

"It's how he said it happened," Morgan offered calmly. "He's the one I let go."

"You two workin' together or some shit?" Rick questioned as he stepped closer still to his friend. Morgan lifted his chin defiantly.

"No!" was his firm reply, disbelieving that Rick could ask him such a thing.

"Then what the fuck is goin' on here? You show up talkin' about people wantin' to kill us, then this piece of shit breaks into our home!" Rick yells in Morgan's face as he grabs his shirt; Morgan does not react.

"He got in here where my kids are! Pulled a gun on my…on Michonne! Someone better start fuckin' talkin'!" Rick fumed.

Michonne stepped over and placed her hand at Rick's chest, drawing him away from Morgan before he did something he might regret. He stared Morgan down a moment longer before he turned to face their prisoner.

"What the fuck are you doin' here?" Rick asked as placed his face close to the stranger's.

"Fuck you!" he spat back.

Without warning Rick's fist came into contact with his jaw and he fell as the chair toppled over with him still attached to it. Morgan flinched and went to step forward, but Michonne looked at him and shook her head.

"How about fuck you!" said Rick as he kicked the man in his stomach causing him to cough as he fought to breathe.

Michonne then helped Rick pick him up and place the chair firmly to the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth where Rick had struck him; he used his tongue to lick it and then smiled at them all.

"Tell us who sent you," Michonne said determinedly.

"How about you come and sit on my face, bitch!" He said with a laugh as he wriggled his tongue at her.

Rick's fist landed square between his eyes this time causing his nose to break in the process; the man let out a pained groan.

"Watch your mouth, you stupid prick or you'll lose that tongue!"

Said Rick as he shook his right hand in an attempt to get the feeling back. He then reached behind his back and retrieved a hunting knife. Rick stepped closer and held the knife to the man's throat.

"Rick…" started Morgan, not wanting to see any more blood flowing.

"I think you better wait outside if you're feelin' squeamish," Rick said callously, not looking around.

"No, I'll stay," Morgan offered.

"Okay, but I'm gonna need your opinion on somethin'; which hand do you think this motherfucker uses to jerk off?" Rick asked, waiting for a reply.

No one answered.

"Nope, he don't know. How about you just tell me?" Rick said as he pressed the knife into the man's neck. "Which hand do you jerk off with?"

"Don't matter which one I use 'cause your girlfriend here will be jerkin' me off later after my people kill all of you. Then again I might just let you watch while I fuck her. Ain't that right, sugar tits?" he said laughingly as Rick used the butt of the knife and smashed it against his temple.

He was knocked unconscious as Rick stood up straighter. He asked Michonne to get him some water from the garden, she did so and Rick tipped it over their prisoner's head. He came to and looked at them all mockingly, though still a little slow.

Rick grabbed a crate and took a seat directly in front of the man; he tapped the blade of the knife against the intruder's knuckles and smirked.

"I could do this shit all night. But it doesn't really matter whether you're left or right handed," said Rick as he looked at Michonne then to the bleeding man before him. "You won't be too worried about jerkin' off or fuckin' after I cut your shrivelled little dick off."

xXxXx

"What's happened?" Asked Morgan while he fell into stride alongside Michonne as she walked out into the darkened street.

"Rick got him to talk," she said as she stopped noting the look of contempt Morgan wore. "They have a camp not too far away. We're gonna hit 'em tonight."

"Hit 'em? Like attack?" Morgan asked.

Michonne nodded.

"Yes. Tonight we'll attack," she said in a matter-of-fact manner; Rick then came from behind the house.

He felt annoyed as he saw Michonne and Morgan standing and talking; he made his way over to catch what their conversation was about.

"But they haven't done anything," Rick heard Morgan say.

"Yet," replied Michonne. "There's still time. We're just lucky that asshole in the shed was such a dumb fuck, otherwise they could be attacking us in the middle of the night."

"Maybe we should negotiate with them, save some lives in the process," Morgan offered causing Rick to laugh.

"They were gonna hurt my family, they all die, tonight," said Rick as he walked away.

"Killing people isn't the way to go. Can't you talk to him? He'll listen to you…" said Morgan.

Michonne watched as Rick got several yards away, turned and looked back at them. He then called out: "Michonne, you comin'?"

She looked back at Morgan, shrugged and then followed Rick.

…..

"So that's the plan?" Asked someone in the group.

Rick nodded.

"Yep, torch their compound and shoot whoever runs out. We don't leave until they're all dead."

Everyone was now aware of the plan; the whole community was awake and on high alert. Rick would take four others and execute the plan. Michonne stood back holding Judith while he spoke to the group.

"This is the way we protect ourselves; these people were watching us and plotting to do us harm. This is war. We do what we have to do. We either kill or be killed." Rick said as he finished addressing them and gathered up weapons and ammunition.

Michonne ambled over and Rick stopped what he was doing.

"You okay?" He asked, noticing her uneasy demeanour.

"Yeah, just worried. I should be going with you," she said.

"No, I need you here with the kids in case anything happens," Rick said softly as he loaded another rifle.

Michonne nodded.

"We'll be fine," she offered with a weak smile which he returned.

Rick placed the gun down as Michonne passed Judith to him; he kissed his daughter's head before reaching over and taking Michonne's hand.

"I know," he said quietly while squeezing her hand. "I'll see you soon."

Michonne took Judith from her father and went to walk away; she stopped and then walked back to him before searching her pocket.

"Here," she offered as she handed over a slightly crumbled cookie.

They shared a smile and then Michonne left Rick standing there as he watched them leave with a mixture of love and fear gurgling in his stomach.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks everyone! You have no idea how I love hearing your thoughts. So, the S6 banner; everyone catch Rick and Morgan up the front? This fic started off as mainly speculation and headcanon for me, but we might just get to see Rick and Morgan butting heads in S6 if the banner is anything to go by. Lennie and Andy look awesome and Danai is as beautiful as ever. I'm still side eyeing Father Gabriel and now, on the poster, he's standing with the Alexandrians so I thought it was time he made a little appearance in this fic.

Thanks for leaving a review: DarylDixon'sLover; Oreganfox; focusedOnProsperity; thelisa17; kdthle23; lacsim1978; SBK; CherokeeRose; Guest; sleepywitchysamurai; songbird11; A; MichonneGalaxy; literaturechick; KK; CodeName-M.e; simple1234; and ishipwhateverthefuckiwantto. Thanks silent readers!

A few things:

\- Michonne is amazingly considerate and patient with Rick. She understands it's not easy for him being a leader and a father. She knows the weight he carries is heavy.

\- Michonne does recognise that Rick cares for her; she just isn't sure of what to do about it because he needs to demonstrate it to her.

\- OMG! You guys asking if the cookie was symbolic of Michonne's cookie! Lol and I thought I was dirty-minded haha it was just meant to be her sharing a cookie, but bloody hell I'm supporting your conjecture now! Get your narrow behind home Rick and you might get a taste hehehe

* * *

The mood of the Safe-Zone was a sombre one; five of their people had left to affect a pre-emptive strike against the Wolves and the rest were waiting. Waiting to see if the information that the prisoner had given was correct; waiting to see if any other Wolves would attack Alexandria that night; waiting to see if their people would return.

Father Gabriel sat alone amongst a row of chairs as a few residents tore bed sheets to make bandages should an attack befall them and their people receive battle wounds. Morgan, after doing his part to help, approached the religious man.

"May I sit with you?" he asked; Gabriel looked up at him and nodded.

They remained silent for a short time as Morgan watched the people who were keeping themselves busy with their assigned tasks.

"Does any of this feel right to you, striking first?" Morgan finally asked the preacher.

Gabriel looked at him and shook his head.

"No, it does not. But these people are like animals," he answered, his voice dripping with disdain.

"You mean Rick's people?" asked Morgan.

"Yes. Rick is the worst of them all," was his short reply.

"How do you figure that?" Morgan queried, surprised that the Father would say such things after Rick and his group had saved him.

"How could you not, after the things you've seen him do?" Gabriel countered.

"I've known him to be a good man," Morgan offered in earnest.

"Well, I doubt it that he is the man you've known him to be. He has no conscience. He's rabid. He will kill you and not even blink. These _people_ , they follow him blindly. They will go and slaughter some perceived enemy at his order and come back here and bring trouble for the good people who were here first. Rick Grimes is like another plague that sweeps this earth. Don't be fooled; he's not the person they think he is. He will cut you down as you beg for your life."

Morgan sat in silence as he took in the man's words. He knew his friend had changed, yet it was not so long ago that he himself had gone through a change. He glanced at Gabriel again and remembered what Rick had told him about the preacher.

"You turned your back on your congregation, didn't you? When you locked them outside of your church, did _they_ beg for their lives?" Morgan asked as he stood and walked away.

xXxXx

The men on sentry duty were exactly where the prisoner said they would be as Rick slit the throat of one of them and Daryl's arrow penetrated the skull of another while the strike group approached; Sasha quickly finished off the third and fourth guards without a hindrance. Soon after they all swiftly moved towards a number of vehicles parked outside of the yard and syphoned the gas from the tanks which was then used to create Molotov cocktails.

Once they had sufficient fuel for the fiery attack they had plotted, they then separated as their plan was set in motion; aided by the dim light of small flashlights and running on pure adrenaline. Abe cut the wire of the fence that enclosed a ranger's station with a bolt cutter as Aaron entered followed by Daryl; Abe joined them lastly. In tight formation, they began to dispatch as many of the shackled walkers as they could, clearing a path up to the back door of the station. Rick, Sasha and the one they had captured waited near the front of the compound; Rick tied the prisoner to a tree, gagged and bloodied, while they waited for the others to do what they needed to do.

Daryl and Aaron kept the close walkers at bay while Abe chained the door so that it would not open; he then poured fuel on the back step and lit a match. They made their way back out after managing to dispatch the walkers that were fettered in place as a preventative measure should anyone try to infiltrate their compound. They looked back as the flames caught onto the building. Once on the outside of the yard, they lit the makeshift explosives and pelted the building until flames engulfed it quickly. Screams could be heard from inside as the occupants tried to escape through the back door, but to no avail. After a moment, a couple of men staggered out of the main front door; Sasha quickly lined them in her sights and put a bullet in their brains. Rick turned to the beaten and bloodied man tied to the tree; he took out his hunting knife once again and then slit his throat before picking up his rifle and shooting anyone who stumbled outside.

xXxXx

Michonne settle Judith down for the night in her bed; she then made her way downstairs to find a sulking Carl on the sofa.

"You should be in bed," she offered, taking up a seat next to him and nudging him playfully.

"I should be with my Dad," he retorted. "Or at least in the watch tower. I'm a good shot, I can be helpful; instead I'm here."

"Hey, you're helping to protect your sister; that's an important job, Carl." Michonne said honestly.

The teenager sighed loudly.

"Don't you get sick of my Dad sidelining you? I know I do," Carl said as he punched a couch cushion.

"Your father does _not_ sideline me," Michonne replied almost defensively.

"Yeah, okay. That's why you're here too instead of goin' on the mission tonight. He took Sasha when we need her in the tower; and Aaron, of all people. Ya know, you could've gotten the job done quicker than any of 'em, so why didn't he take you? Admit it, he's got you on lockdown too. You're practically grounded, just like me," Carl said, still annoyed.

Michonne considered what the boy was saying; it could not be true. She would be the first person Rick would ask to assist; they worked better as a team. Yet she looked around the house where she was presently sitting thinking that Rick's son had a point, maybe she had been sidelined.

"Here," Michonne said, handing Carl a pistol that was strapped to her ankle. "Go up to your Dad's room and keep watch out the window. If you see anything, shoot."

Carl smiled at her, took the weapon and sprinted up the stairs leaving Michonne to question Rick's motives.

…..

A moment or two passed when Michonne heard a rapping at their door; she approached cautiously and peered outside to see Morgan standing there. She sighed, thinking she was not in any mood for his _every life is precious_ spiel, but still unlocked and opened the door before offering a well-mannered greeting. She gestured for him to enter and he did, taking up a seat on the couch; Michonne sat next to him but said nothing.

"Do you think they'll be back soon?" Morgan asked causing Michonne to look in his direction.

She shrugged.

"Hopefully. If everything goes to plan," was her short answer.

"Interesting plan," Morgan offered. "How much of that man's story was the truth?"

"What do you mean?" Michonne asked, finding herself growing somewhat annoyed.

"What if he was just sayin' that they wanted to harm this place so whoever was here would take out some people he didn't want around anymore," queried Morgan.

"You saw what Rick did to him; he would've spoken up earlier instead of endure that," Michonne said in response.

"Maybe so," Morgan said. "Sometimes we don't know what's truly inside of someone; what motivates them; what makes them do the things they do."

"What are you trying to say? That Rick just hears and sees what he wants and does what he wants in response to it?" Michonne said, throwing Morgan an incredulous look.

"I'm sayin' we all have different motivations. Rick as well…"

"He's trying to keep us _all_ alive," Michonne said adamantly.

"I think so too, but at what cost?" Morgan countered just as Carl came down the stairs.

"Hi Morgan," the teen offered in greeting; Morgan smiled and nodded back.

"Michonne?" He said, looking from Morgan to Michonne.

"Yeah? Is everything alright?" She asked as she got up from her seat.

"Everything's fine. I, ah. I was just thinkin' about what I said before, about my Dad and you. I didn't mean it like he was trying to lord over you or treat you like a kid or anything like that. I meant because he cares about you too, that's why you're here with us," the teenager tried to explain the best he could, while being conscious that Morgan was in the room.

"It's fine, Carl. I know what you meant, and you're right," she said with a smile.

Carl smiled back at her and then headed back upstairs as Michonne sat once more. The room was quiet a moment before Morgan spoke again.

"He's a smart kid," he said of Carl. "A good kid too. My boy would've liked him."

Michonne nodded.

"My boy, he, uh, isn't around anymore. Seems I couldn't save him from this world," Morgan finally said.

"I'm sorry," Michonne said so softly that it was almost a whisper.

She looked at the man next to her; she could see a familiar pain veiled behind his dark eyes. She understood his grief. They remained silent, neither really knowing what to say until Michonne offered him a small, sad smile and said: "May I ask what your son's name was?"

xXxXx

The sky was just beginning to turn light as the morning sun rose slowly when Rick returned home; it was still relatively dark inside of the house. He came through the front door and switched on the light and proceeded to lock the door again. Without turning, Rick heard a slight muttering and realized Michonne must have fallen asleep on the couch while awaiting his return. He smiled and began to walk over to her when he saw that Morgan was just being roused from his slumber as well, on the same couch.

Michonne rubbed her eyes and then smiled sleepily at Rick as he kicked off his boots.

"Hey," she greeted as Morgan nodded to him.

"Hey," was his reply as he looked at Morgan. "What's goin' on?"

"Just waitin' for you to get back. How'd it go?" She asked as she stood up and moved away from Morgan, vaguely realizing how it must have looked.

"Got it done. Ran into a little trouble though. That asshole didn't tell us about the others who were waitin' up the road. Aaron took a bullet…"

"Is he alright?" Michonne asked quickly.

"Yeah, just a flesh wound. He'll be fine. We fought 'em off…"

"Are you okay?" Michonne said as she stepped towards Rick; he lifted his hands to stop her from fussing over him.

"I'm good," was his reply.

"The prisoner, what happened to him?" Morgan asked, joining the conversation as Rick, visibly annoyed, narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, him. Yeah, sorry; he didn't make it," said Rick as he regarded Michonne once more and then headed up the stairs leaving the two of them in the living room.

Morgan stood, stretched and then smoothed down his clothing before Michonne went to speak.

"I'm gonna go talk to him; you should…"

"Yeah, I'll get going. Look, about last night; thanks for that…" Morgan started.

"No need to thank me. I'll see you later," Michonne smiled as she walked Morgan to the door, let him out and then locked it behind him.

Rick stood in the stairwell listening to them and wondering what happened between them the night before while he was gone.

xXxXx

Michonne found Rick standing at the top of the stairs after she had let Morgan out of their home.

"Shit. You scared me. Everything okay?" she asked as she came to stand next to him.

Rick wanted to ask her what happened between her and his friend under _their_ roof; but he had no rights to. He wanted to ask her if she meant it, when she looked at him like that with her beautiful brown eyes; but he thought she would tell him he was seeing things again. He wanted to grab Michonne and press his mouth to hers and tell her needed her; but he was afraid she would reject him. Instead, Rick gestured with his thumb towards his bedroom.

"Carl's taken my bed," he said as he tried not to let the fear and jealousy cause him to say or do something that would push Michonne further away.

She chortled.

"Have mine. Judy's already in there. I nearly forgot about Carl. I told him to take watch from your window," she started to explain as Rick smiled.

"He was goading me into it, sayin' 'don't you hate it when Dad sidelines us' or something like that, you know, implying you were treating me like a kid because you didn't ask me to go. So I let him watch out the window so he could feel involved," she said with a laugh.

Rick did not laugh; he only heard an accusation that was not there.

"You think I'm sidelinin' you?" He queried.

Michonne did not answer.

"You think I treat you like a kid?" Rick prodded further.

"No, Rick. I don't think that. But Carl had a point…"

"Oh yeah, what was that _point_ exactly?" He asked sharply.

"That you've been doin' things and not asking me to help…"

"You're the one who's been stayin' away from me. You've been spending an awful lot o' time with _other people_ , I figured I was doin' you a favor," said Rick.

Michonne fell quiet; now Rick had a point.

She wanted to tell him she did not need any favors, but he continued to speak.

"Besides, you seem to be just fine here spendin' your time with Morgan, all cozied up on our sofa, so…"

Michonne threw him an incredulous look as she raised her eyebrows and folded her arms over her body.

"What are you implying?" She asked knowing either way she would not like his answer.

Rick sighed; he was doing it again. He was letting his own issues surrounding his feelings for Michonne get in the way of having a conversation with her that did not end up in a disagreement. The night before, he felt that they were of the same mind when it came to what needed to be done in order to keep their new home safe; he was certain that Michonne was still with him. That she was supporting his decisions. He saw the concern etched across her beautiful features when he was set to depart; he sensed the strong connection between them; she was worried about him and the moment they shared before he left was so intimate and natural. Now, after having to kill more people than he could count on his hand; after being awake all night; after almost losing his own life, Rick was tired. He was tired and irritated and taking some of his frustrations out on Michonne.

"Nothin'," he finally answered.

"No, spit it out," Michonne insisted as Rick sighed.

"I'm respecting your choice to keep your distance from me unless it's to do with the kids," he said in earnest. "I don't like it, but I respect it."

She nodded.

"I respect you wantin' to branch out and work with others in this community; forming friendships or whatever. I just feel like you're stayin' away to purposely get back at me…"

"Get back at you? For that shit you pulled?" She asked, completely astounded by his reasoning.

He nodded his head.

Though Rick could see what she was doing in an effort to gather her thoughts and protect her own heart, he did not fully understand why she was pulling away. This caused conjecture on his part; conjecture that placed him at the centre of her motives to make a change.

"I'm not trying to punish you, Rick. I'm just trying pull my weight here," she explained. "We've talked about how I felt about what went on with you when we got here…"

 _…_ _I thought we had something. I guess I was wrong._

Her words still haunted and pained him; riddled him with guilt.

"That wasn't talkin', that was you tearin' me a new one," he offered jokingly, trying to lighten the mood as he felt a familiar pang in his chest.

"Same thing," she replied a little more jovially before becoming serious once more.

"Whatever it is you _think_ is or isn't happening, it's not on you. I'm not punishing you. I'm just trying to find where I fit. I can't be with you twenty-four hours stroking your ego, Rick. I mean, what do you want from me?"

She sighed, her frustration growing.

"I don't know," was his short reply.

They stared at each other with a sadness and a longing etched across their faces and burning silently in their eyes.

"Well let me know when you figure it out," Michonne said as she left Rick standing there.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hello, pilgrims! Thanks for taking the time to read, review and follow. I do appreciate it so much. We're going to step back in time a little with this instalment.

 **garnet0183** : I do think they're lining something like that up for S6; this wait is killing me! Lol

 **CodeName-M.e.** – seriously you hit the nail on the head here; Rick is this fierce leader who is on the frontline fighting for survival and giving orders to everyone, yet in his own home he's at a loss for words when it comes to talking about his feelings. You know, Lori (RIP) had a point when she said he didn't communicate well.

 **Guest** : Exactly! They are both on the same page when it's about survival, but can't get it together when it comes to their feelings!

 **Guest** : Oh yeah, Rick's got some grovelling (and thangs) to do lol

* * *

 _Sometime ago…_

Michonne rubbed her hand over the back of her neck as she closed her eyes and stretched. The day had been a tiresome one with everything that had occurred; she removed her windcheater and leaned back into the chair as she listened to Rick's even breathing. He was still unconscious from when she had struck him in order to save him. Carl had stopped by momentarily; she had told him his father was stable and that he should return to their home.

She was about to take a drink from her water bottle when she heard a gentle tapping at the door to the room; seconds later, Carol stepped inside.

"How is he?" she asked in a concerned manner.

Michonne took in her appearance and wondered why on earth she was trying to fool these people into thinking she was something she was not. Michonne always believed that you did best when you presented yourself as you were. No masks; no subterfuge. She was convinced that this new place was making her friends and family act in odd ways.

"Still out," she replied, waiting to see what is was that Carol wanted.

"I just don't know what's happening with him," she said softly, aware that Rick was in the room with them and somehow wanting to afford him some consideration while he was taking a prescribed and uninvited rest.

Michonne nodded.

"I think we were almost out there for too long," she explained, referring to their time on the road.

"This place is almost too much," Carol said.

"Yeah, it's certainly got everyone actin' strange," Michonne said, purposely hinting at Carol's own behaviour.

"I mean, I guess it's only natural for Rick to act this way. It's been a long time since he lost his wife," she said as Michonne sat up straighter.

"I suppose everyone needs some kind of companionship."

Carol continued before whispering the next part: "I just thought he'd have more sense than goin' after a married woman, considering his past and what happened with his wife and best friend."

Michonne furrowed her brow; she was surprised by what Carol was telling her. She looked at Rick who was quietly snoring away.

"I never really knew what happened with his wife," she whispered, hoping the conversation would cease.

Carol sighed; she had gotten Michonne's attention.

"Well, let's just say there was a possibility Judith belonged to his friend," she said in hushed tones.

Michonne shook her head, not feeling comfortable with hearing gossip about Rick.

"That's why I was so shocked that he'd be fighting with Pete Anderson over _his_ wife; surely Rick knows what it feels like," Carol added. "Silly, Rick. Hope that tap to the head you gave him snaps him out of this infatuation."

Carol stood and looked over at Michonne; her friend did well to hide her disappointment, but it was in her eyes. Carol knew that there was a deep connection between the two of them; a connection that was going to become problematic for her plans in the future. She did not want to cause her friend hurt by divulging this information and expounding on it, but it had to be done. She needed to drive a wedge between Rick and Michonne and this was one way to do it.

Michonne swallowed hard as she let the information sink in; she nodded to Carol who let herself out. Michonne then let her gaze wander over to a still sleeping Rick as she shook her head and wiped her mouth.

xXxXx

"Is it true, Rick?" Michonne asked of him as he leaned against the wall after having regained consciousness.

"I don't know what you want me to say here," he answered.

"Was all of this because you wanted that man's wife?" she elaborated.

Rick looked at Michonne incredulously.

"What? No. That's not what it was about. It's about the type of people they let live here; what they turn a blind eye to…"

"That's none of our business, Rick!"

"I had to do something…"

"No, you didn't. Not like that. God, I can't believe you," Michonne said as she stood. "We're new here. We're tryin' to fit in."

"He was beatin' on her and they let it happen because he's a doctor…"

"I don't give a fuck about them right now! I'm worried about if they're gonna throw your ass out. And then what? We'd have to leave. I'm worried about _your kids_ having to be on the outside again. All because you can't get your shit together, Rick," Michonne said, raising her voice a little.

She rubbed her eye as Rick avoided her gaze.

"Just tell me, were you trying to get with her?" Michonne asked as Rick looked down to the floor.

"I don't know," he said while staring at the wall before glancing at her. "Why are you lookin' at me like that? It ain't a _yes_."

"It's not a _no_ either," said Michonne, the hurt etched into her features.

"Why are you so concerned?" Rick asked.

"Are you serious? Did I knock all of the sense out of your head? After everything we've been through together, I thought we'd get here and, I dunno, maybe we'd get a second chance at _everything_. I'm such an idiot…"

"What're you talkin' about?" asked Rick as he held her gaze.

" _Us_. I'm talking about us. I thought that we…I thought that _I_ meant something to you; thought _you_ cared about _me_. Shit, my judgement was so off…"

"I do care about you…" Rick offered slightly confused; so many thoughts and emotions were washing over him.

"I thought maybe, just maybe I wasn't readin' you wrong. Maybe you felt the same about me as I felt about you. And then I find that you were out here chasin' ass and putting us all in danger…"

"What?"

"I know there's nothin' between us and you can do whatever you want to do because we're just friends, but I was by your side through a lot of the shit. Don't think for a second that that woman is gonna leave her family behind and follow you out into the shit storm. Remember that. You don't owe me anything, I know that. Just don't ruin this for us because you want to get your dick wet."

Michonne said before there was a knock at the door and Glenn, Carol and Abraham entered.

…..

"…I'm still with you," Michonne offered as Rick stared deeply into her eyes.

He realized in that moment that she was going to be with him regardless of the outcome of the meeting later that day. Rick saw the affection in her eyes and he knew right there and then that he felt the same. He was thinking clearly as the confusion caused by their new sanctuary and the pain of what could have been crumbled and fell away; in that moment he remembered how much Michonne truly meant to him.

She finished talking and told him not to take too long as she went to exit his room.

"Michonne," he called as she turned in the doorway. "I'm sorry I disappointed you."

She thought about all of the moments she and Rick had had leading up to settling in Alexandria; the gentle touches, the unspoken understanding; the way it felt as if he was staring into her soul. The way that he made her heart feel full and afraid at the exact same time. How she was so scared of letting him and his children into her heart at first; how she feared to love again. Michonne sighed; too tired to hold back what she truly felt any longer.

"You didn't disappoint me. You hurt me; you made me feel stupid, Rick. I thought we had something. I guess I was wrong," with that she turned and left.

xXxXx

 _Present day…_

Her laughter wafted up stairs and drew Rick from his much needed slumber; he indistinctly recalled Michonne entering the room earlier to take Judith. She reassured him that all was well and he should continue sleeping, which he did; no one had come to bring him bad news and he knew his people were capable fighters. His sleep was plagued with visions of the night before; the flames danced wildly in his mind's eye and he could almost swear the imagined heat of his dreamy haze had caused his skin to sweat.

Michonne was always so considerate of him he thought a moment; for it was true that she had stopped taking breaks so that he might be able to. This train of thought caused him some guilt as he shook the lethargy away and shifted in order to get ready. After splashing his face with cold water and finding clothing to put on, Rick slowly made his way down to the living room. Michonne's laughter was louder now; leading him forward with a smile on his face much like a siren's song did in the tales of old.

Rick's smile soon disappeared when he took in the scene before him; Michonne and Morgan seated on the sofa engaged in friendly conversation. He realized it was irrational on his part to feel so averse to the sight of the two of them together, but nonetheless, it was how he felt. He sighed deeply and thought he might at least try to be amicable to his friends today, after all, he did not want to get into yet another disagreement with Michonne.

If she felt his presence in the room, she did not show it and Rick felt annoyed. He tread heavily on his way to the kitchen until Morgan noticed him, stood and followed him; Michonne was not far behind.

"Where're the kids?" Rick asked as he went about finding something to quell his hunger.

He tried not to look at her as he undid the lid of a bottle of water and drank from it.

"Out on the porch," Michonne replied. "We found a small breach in the wall, but it's been fortified."

Rick placed the water on the table and took up a seat; he opened the can of spaghetti and scooped some out, not bothering to warm it. Michonne sat down and Morgan leaned against the counter.

"Good. Did we have any trouble today?" Rick asked as he glanced between the two of them and then stared back at his meal.

Michonne shook her head.

"No. Was quiet. We're gonna take shifts at perimeter check inside and outside of the wall as added sentry duty as well as double up on watch just in case."

Rick grunted in response.

"Should be paired for the checks as well," Rick offered.

"That's what we thought too," said Morgan, finally joining the conversation. "Michonne and I were just waiting for you to finish resting before we started the first checks."

Rick's eyebrows rose at the information; he knew both of his friends were more than capable of looking after themselves, but he still felt annoyed that they were going together. In all honesty, if they were attacked again by the living, he knew Michonne would do what needed to be done; what troubled him was the thought of Morgan not being willing to take someone's life. Even if that meant saving one of their own. He knew he could not forgive Morgan if something happened to Michonne on his watch. Rick sighed.

"You carrying?" he asked of them. Michonne tapped the pistol at her side; Morgan shrugged.

"Grab something from the armory," Rick directed Morgan.

"Not necessary," his friend answered.

Michonne noticed the vein in Rick's temple pulsating; Morgan was testing his last nerve.

"We'll stop by there," Michonne offered as she stood. "See you later."

Rick watched them walk out the front door; he cringed when he saw Morgan press his hand to the small of Michonne's back as he let her step out before him. The pulsating in his temple turned to a full blown headache soon thereafter.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed the last instalment: Beautiful77; literaturechick; severelybabykryptonite; KK; Guestz; CodeName-M.e; simple1234; RichonneSlag; and thanks to those silent readers as well.

Do those who made a comment about Morgan being in the house when Rick left and again when he woke up think that he's rightfully annoyed? Or is making a huge deal out of nothing? I mean, would he be all pissy if Michonne was spending more time with say Daryl or Abraham? I'm curious lol.

Okay, let's check in…

* * *

Michonne and Morgan had just left the safety of the walled community of Alexandria. He noticed how her demeanour shifted when she was on the outside. She was watchful and attentive, taking note of each sound or object that she sensed. Morgan found her to be ever-impressive the more time they spent with each other.

"So," he started. "About last night. I wanted to thank you again. It meant a great deal to me to be able to have those conversations. Surprisingly, not a lot of people I've come across can relate to losing a child."

Michonne nodded, feeling that familiar lump in her throat.

"It's fine," she said; her eyes scanning their surroundings. "Thanks for listenin' to me too. No one else knows about my son. Except Carl."

"What about Rick?" queried Morgan, knowing how close they were.

"No. Not even Rick," she answered and fell silent again.

Morgan said nothing else as he could tell she would speak when she wanted to. After they walked a short distance, Michonne continued.

"Sometimes, I want to tell him. Especially when we thought we'd lost Judith. But it was never the right time. He respects that I'm a private person, so he never asks about where I was before I stayed with this group."

"You're so interesting, though. I find it hard to believe Rick would never sit down and pick your brain or even wonder about your life before," Morgan said in earnest.

Michonne shrugged.

"I'm not interesting. We're all the same now, just tryin' to survive," she offered.

"Still, I'd have thought he'd at least ask about you," Morgan said as he stopped to press against a loose sheet of metal on the fence.

"Well, we were trying to stay alive and all that," Michonne said defensively. "Didn't really have the time."

"You have the time now," he replied.

"Is that section gonna be okay?" Michonne asked referring to the loose panel.

"It's gonna need fixin' in time, but should be alright for now," Morgan responded, noting that Michonne had changed the subject.

They continued to walk in silence.

"Part of me wished he would ask; it would make it easier to open up. For both of us," she offered quietly.

Morgan heard the longing and sadness in her voice.

xXxXx

The house was quiet the rest of the afternoon while Carl attends school and Judith is napping. Rick only had one visitor, Glenn, who reported the follow-up status of their pre-emptive strike the night before.

"Who went out?" Rick asked as he sat on the porch step with Glenn.

"Daryl and Sasha; Carol and Spencer are in the tower and Michonne and Morgan are walking the perimeter," the younger man answered.

"Daryl and Sasha back yet?"

"Yeah, twenty minutes ago. Daryl's about to do some more weapons training with Abe and me and Sasha are gonna relieve Michonne and Morgan soon," he explained.

"Did they find any survivors?" Rick asked while glancing around the neighbourhood.

People were ambling around with determination now; each one of them had a duty to complete, and all were still on high alert.

"No. Daryl didn't find any tracks leading away. Looks like we got 'em all," Glenn said.

"We still need to be alert. They could've had more people. You've all done well, Glenn," offered Rick in earnest.

Glenn nodded.

"I think we'll be alright for the time being," Rick added.

He looked up to see Michonne and Morgan approaching; Glenn noticed too.

"I'd better go. See you later," he said while sprinting away.

"Yeah," answered Rick.

He dropped his head a moment, and then watched as his friends drew near. They stopped to speak to Glenn, who then left them standing there; they did not advance. Rick watched on as Michonne continued to speak to Morgan. She then placed her hand to Morgan's shoulder briefly, causing him to smile at her. Rick felt his face grow warm as he took in their display. Michonne then held her bandaged finger up, and Morgan reached cautiously for her hand; he held it in his palm and continued speaking, seemingly examining the broken digit. Rick felt his jaw clench as he stood and walked inside.

…..

Rick sat on the sofa with a sleepy looking Judith on his lap who had just woken up; she seemed to be running a fever. Michonne and Morgan came through the door and Michonne immediately moved to sit next to them. Judith cooed as she reached for her. Michonne leaned over and kissed her head; her eyes locked with Rick's a moment before he averted his gaze.

"Judy, you feel warm. Are you hungry, baby?" she asked sweetly; Morgan took a seat on the armchair. Rick sighed and tilted his head to the side slightly.

"Is someone cranky?" Michonne asked.

"She just got up from a nap," Rick informed her.

"I wasn't talkin' about her," said Michonne jokingly as she nudged Rick with her arm.

He did not find it funny. Michonne sighed.

 _Must be in a bad mood again,_ she thought to herself.

"Does she have any more applesauce in the fridge?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Rick said flatly as he kept his gaze on Judith.

Michonne got up, made her way into the kitchen to retrieve the food; Rick and Morgan spoke about the defence capabilities of the wall as it stood.

"Probably need to strip some of the fences inside and use as fortifications until we can organize a run for better materials," said Morgan. "I'm happy to be on that crew."

Rick inwardly mused that Morgan did not seem to like to get his hands dirty anymore.

"Well you won't need to kill anyone, so you'll be a welcome addition to that crew," Rick said snidely.

"Not everything is about death, Rick. There's still so much life left to live and joy to be found," said Morgan as he glanced at Michonne who had re-entered the room and sat near Rick.

Rick just stared at his friend incredulously wondering why on earth he sounded like a Hallmark card.

"You about ready?" Morgan asked of Michonne.

"I was just gonna feed Judy first," she answered, not looking at Rick.

"Where are you goin' now?" queried Rick as he furrowed his brow.

She finally met his gaze.

"I was, uh…going to…"

"I invited her over for dinner," Morgan explained. "You and the kids are more than welcome too, of course."

Rick stared at Morgan a moment before giving a response.

"Thanks. But we wouldn't want to impose," he stated in his slow southern drawl; Michonne thought it sounded as if he was answering for her too.

"It's okay, it'll just be the two of us," she offered cheerfully to her new friend, wanting to dispel the sour mood that had crept in and reassure Morgan she would still be dining with him.

"It's a bit early, ain't it?" asked Rick.

"Yeah, but I was gonna help sort through some of the boxes over at Morgan's place since no one had time to clear it properly," Michonne explained.

Morgan nodded and everything fell quiet.

Rick could not help but think how pointless it was for her to be over at Morgan's place sorting through the belongings of people who were probably dead. It seemed like another excuse for her to get out of the house. Or maybe she just wanted more alone time with his friend; he could not tell, but both scenarios caused him much aggravation.

Michonne removed the plastic lid from the applesauce container and stirred the mixture with the spoon; gripping it awkwardly in her left hand.

"Here," she said as she gestured to Rick. "Face her this way."

 _If she wants to get out of our house, she should just leave now_ , Rick reasoned; the ire growing inside of him.

"Give it here," he replied as he reached for the small tub. "Don't trouble yourself. I got it."

"Rick, it's fine," Michonne replied as she tried to pull the container away.

Rick caught hold of Michonne's wrist so that she could not move it.

"No. I'll feed her. You hand it over and run along now," Rick said evenly as he squeezed harder than he realized.

"Rick! Let me go!" Michonne pleaded, feeling his grip tighten.

"Hand it over!" he demanded, raising his voice and pulling her hand closer to him.

Judith whimpered and let out a sob.

"Rick!" she said, matching his tone and drawing her hand back. "Stop. You're hurting me!"

Finally, realizing he was being unreasonable and domineering, Rick relinquished his hold of Michonne's wrist. She pulled back and the sudden movement caused the applesauce to spill down her front.

"Shit!" she exclaimed as she stood. Morgan stood as well.

Michonne held her hand up as the food dripped to the floor. She shot Rick a displeased glare and stomped off into the kitchen. Rick cursed, asked Morgan to watch Judith and followed after Michonne.

He found her standing at the sink wetting a cloth and wiping her jeans.

"Sorry," Rick said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Michonne shook her head and remained quiet.

"Let me see," said Rick as he stepped closer and went to examine her injury.

Michonne pulled away.

"Don't," she ordered, cleaning the applesauce from near her bandaged finger.

"Michonne," he said softly, completely different from the irrational man who did not know how to behave in front of company.

"Get your shit together, Rick. You're actin' weird," she offered.

"I could say the same to you! Runnin' off to dinner and laughin' at stupid fuckin' jokes, that's not you," he spat.

Michonne rolled her eyes.

"That is me, Rick. At least it's a part of me from before. But you wouldn't know that, because you can't be fucked askin', am I right?" Michonne said loudly, her hand on her hip.

 _Silence_

"Do you even care enough to ask?" she said as she felt her eyes begin to water.

"Of course I care…"

Michonne snorted.

"Why are you such a control freak?" she asked quietly.

"Why can't you stand to be around me for more than five minutes?" Rick questioned; louder this time.

"That's not the case…"

"Then what's goin' on?" asked Rick. "You're runnin' off to sort through boxes of other people's shit? We got our own shit to deal with!"

"I'm not doing this now. We'll talk about it later," Michonne said as she turned to leave.

"Don't walk away from me, damn it!" Rick said loudly.

Michonne screwed her face up, shook her head and left.

* * *

A/N: Do you think Michonne should have told Rick about André first?

Should Rick have asked about her life before?

Do you think Morgan is catching feelings for our girl?

Will they ever work things out?

More to come!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I love how all of my fellow Richonners understand these two adorable idiots so much! They really are out of sync here because the promise of that one more day with a chance; they both want that one more day with each other, but are not on the same page.

Does anyone actually hate Morgan in this? LOL he's annoying, right? Ha! I adore him and I love Lennie (check him out in this series called Jericho from a few years ago. It's one of my faves and he is amazing in it!). Michonne has some things in common with Morgan with losing a child and having their significant other turn; Rick doesn't really know what that's like. Lori was just _gone._

As for Richonne, I think they agreed not to dwell on the past, but the questions are still there. Now, Michonne respects the fact that Morgan saved Rick's life in the beginning and she genuinely finds relief in talking to him. As for her and Rick, Michonne admitted to Rick that she had feelings for him. He hasn't even acknowledged it as yet. While I love how they just get each other and they don't even need to speak, it's not gonna cut it when it comes to matters of the heart. **CodeName-M.e** explained it perfectly; Rick has communication problems. He can't handle how easy it is for Michonne to open up now and all he is used to is being effective at giving orders. **KK** I'm sorry for upsetting you! **Yari** you are right; Michonne is one of the only people Morgan can talk to as Rick is hostile towards him lately.

Rick just killed a lot of people so he's still a little wound up from that and the disagreement with Michonne! Starting where we left off…

* * *

"Are you okay?" Morgan asked as he and Michonne walked at a rapid pace in the direction of his new home.

She nodded _yes_ but did not say anything; they continued on in silence a small while.

"Is Rick okay?" Morgan queried.

Michonne stopped and glared at the man.

"I don't know," she snapped, surprising herself. "Maybe you should go and ask him."

He could tell she was not in any mood to be talking about Rick after having just stormed out on him.

"You know what? I think I'm gonna take a raincheck on dinner. I need to be alone," said Michonne with an apologetic look.

She did not wait for a response, but instead walked away.

"Michonne?" called Morgan in an attempt to get her to stop, but to no avail.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she responded without turning around.

xXxXx

Carl sat on the porch of one of his new friend's house spending a rare moment doing nothing at all.

"There's your stepmom," said Enid as Carl looked up to see Michonne walking with her head down.

She ambled slowly with a slouch and seemed despondent. Concerned, Carl stood, stepped forward and called to her.

"Michonne!"

Shaken from her reverie and troubled thoughts by the sound of the boy's voice, she immediately ceased her aimless stroll and searched the area until her eyes fell on Carl. He then jogged over to meet her.

"Hey, are you alright? You look lost," he said with worry etched across his youthful features.

He took note that she was rubbing her upper arm, something she did on occasion when she was upset and thought nobody was watching. Michonne tried to mask her downcast mood with a weak smile, but her eyes betrayed her.

"I'm just tired," she said; a half-truth.

Carl sighed, seeing through the façade.

"Is it 'cause of my dad?" he asked and Michonne felt her throat grow dry.

The boy was more observant than they gave him credit for; she shrugged.

"You all think I don't notice things, but I do. I know the two of you haven't been getting along that much lately. Did Dad say something to upset you?"

"Maybe, but it happens when you spend so much time with someone; you're bound to annoy each other. And besides, you don't have to worry about us," Michonne did her best to explain.

Carl nodded and continued with giving voice to his thoughts.

"I noticed that Morgan's been around a lot when you're at home. I don't think my dad likes it. I mean, I know they're friends and all, but it's mainly just been us for a while now and Dad's used to it that way," the teenager said.

Michonne nodded.

"You're such a smart kid, Carl. I think you're right. Your dad likes things how he likes them; he's so stubborn," she said with a genuine smile this time.

Carl grinned at her.

"Can I ask you something?" he queried.

"Of course," Michonne answered.

"Well, speaking of 'likes', do you like Morgan?"

"Yeah. He's a decent guy. Can handle himself. He's Rick's friend," replied Michonne. "Do you like him?"

"Yeah. He saved my dad's life," Carl started. "But do you _like him_ like him? Like more than a friend?"

"No," Michonne said immediately and in earnest. "I only like him as a friend."

"You like my dad better, right?" he prodded.

"Of course," Michonne answered wondering where this line of questioning was headed.

"Does my dad know that? 'Cause I think he might be a little jealous of you spending so much time with Morgan, but don't tell him I said that!" said Carl.

Michonne could not help but chuckle.

"I don't know about all o' that," she said.

"Michonne, I'm a guy and I know how we think," he stated as she smiled at his adorableness.

"Just tell Dad you like him better than Morgan and I'm sure everything will be okay," Carl said with a smile. "Even though my dad sometimes does things that makes it hard for you to like him; don't tell him I said that either!"

Michonne laughed and so did Carl; she felt a little better now. The boy always had an innate way of drawing happiness to her surface.

"C'mere," she said as she drew Carl into a hug. "I reckon I like you and Judy best."

They chortled and then pulled apart.

"So, you'll talk to my dad and get this sorted out? I don't like seeing you both upset with each other," Carl offered.

"Yeah, I'll talk to him; just not at this minute though because I've decided to go kill some walkers," Michonne said with a straight face.

"Can I come?" Carl asked excitedly.

"I don't think so, buddy. While Rick can't tell me what to do, he's still got a say in what you do," she said with a smile as Carl rolled his eyes playfully.

…..

After convincing Carl to stay with his friends, Michonne made her way home in order to collect her katana. She was planning on going outside of the walls and dispatching a few stragglers to relieve some of the tension that had built up from being at odds with Rick.

She entered the house quietly, hoping not to attract the attention of Rick in case he wanted to share words with her; she was not in much of a talking mood, well, at least not with him.

He was in the kitchen with Judith and, of course, noticed Michonne right away. He called out to her.

"Not now, Rick," was her reply.

She grabbed her sword from where it was leaning against the wall. Rick, annoyed by her response, left his daughter in her highchair and walked into the living room to have a word with Michonne.

"Can we just talk for a minute?" he asked, hands on his hips and head tilted to the side.

"Yes, but not right now. I need to be somewhere," Michonne replied, staring into his eyes.

His steely gaze reflecting the irritation that was quickly building inside of him.

"Right. Sorry. I forgot you can't even stand to talk to me now since I'm on your shit list," Rick said disdainfully.

Michonne sighed.

"God, Rick. Just leave it out," she pleaded.

"I will leave it out. Have fun runnin' away from me yet again," he said as he turned to go back into the kitchen.

"I'm not running away. I just need some time alone," she said to the back of his head.

Now Rick turned to face her; throwing her an incredulous look.

"Oh, okay," he said sarcastically. "Time alone, uh? Except you're not gonna be alone, are you? What you mean is time away from me."

Michonne crossed her arms.

"God, he was right. You are jealous," Michonne said as she turned to leave.

"Hey, don't fuckin' turn your back on me again," Rick said as he grabbed Michonne's arm.

"Get your hands off me, Rick!" Michonne said firmly; not taking her eyes off of his.

Both were angry now.

"You wanna say that to me again?" He asked as he let go of Michonne.

"You're jealous of me spending time with Morgan," she spat.

"Bullshit!"

"No. Of course not. Why would you be? Because that would mean you actually, I don't know, felt some kind o' way about me, right?"

 _Silence_.

Rick took a step backwards unintentionally. Michonne noticed.

"You're so full of shit, Rick Grimes! I'm not the group. I'm not the people here. You can't lord over me and tell me what I can and can't do, who I can and can't see…"

"So you're seein' him?"

"What? I didn't mean it that way…"

"Are you seein' him?" Steady. Low. Full of ire.

"No, I'm not; but even if I was, you don't have any rights to tell me that I shouldn't if you can't even tell me how you feel about me!"

 _More silence._

"I don't need you to tell me what to do, Rick. I need you to tell me how you feel about me," she said, quietly this time.

Rick could not put the words together. She was finally asking him for some kind of confirmation of what she really meant to him. He could tell twenty people how to fight to protect a community; he could order a small group to slaughter other people as they slept in the dead of the night, but he could not tell one woman that he loved her. And he did love her, yet he was afraid. He was afraid because saying it out loud made it a reality. For Rick, reality was something that had presented him with so much heartache. The people he loved always went away. If he admitted it now, he was opening himself to the possibility of more heartache. She meant more to him than he could say, so he said nothing at all.

 _More. Deafening. Silence._

Michonne threw up her hands in defeat.

"I'm so done with you," she said as she looked at him with such pain in her eyes that it made his heart sink.

She turned to leave while Rick reached in vain for her arm once more; then Judith began to cry.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews; Beautiful77; literaturechick; SBK; Guest; KK; kdthle23; simple1234; reneicygirl; zeejack; songbird11; sleepywitchysamurai; CodeName-M.e; thelisa17; Guestz; RichonneSlag; shipnation; Guest; and crypticnotions.

Rick, Rick, Rick; where do I even start? Lol you're all so right in saying he needs to get it together and actually _talk_ to Michonne.

I love Carl so much and I think he sees a lot more that the adults think he does; he is so intuitive.

Okay, let's see what our faves are doing…

* * *

The sharp blade sliced through the air before severing a head from a rotting body. The walker fell to the ground as its still animated head rolled away a short distance; Michonne then drove her katana into the temple. It stopped chomping its jaws hideously as she placed her foot to its head and withdrew her sword. A rustling noise from behind Michonne caused her to spin swiftly and swing her sword, effectively lopping off the top of the head. She flicked her wrist and then the blood and brain matter flew unceremoniously from her blade.

Michonne squinted as she scanned the immediate area for any more threats that might be looming; there were no more walkers in sight and the sun was quickly setting. She felt serene after exerting her energy and focussing on felling walkers. She did not even feel as angry as she had before; it seemed to have faded away slowly like the light of the dying sun.

She placed her trusted weapon back into its sheath, looked over her shoulder once more and began to walk. If she had any intention of sleeping that night, the walk back to the Safe-Zone would help her weariness encompass her when she finally returned home. That is, if she even desired to return home to where Rick was. Maybe, she mused, she needed a little more time away.

…..

Sasha turned her head slightly as Michonne entered the watch tower. She was seated by the window and had the butt of her rifle resting against her lap. The women greeted each other.

"Mind if I sit a while?" Michonne asked.

"Not at all," replied Sasha. "I'm just not feeling too chatty right now."

Michonne nodded and slid down to the floor with her back to the wall.

"Neither am I," she laughed in response.

"Trouble in paradise?" Sasha asked.

 _So much for not being chatty,_ Michonne thought as she sighed.

"Something like that," she answered, knowing her friend was referring to Rick.

"Is Rick alright?" Sasha asked, her eyes still focussed outside.

Michonne thought about brushing the question off like she normally would have, but knew Sasha had accompanied Rick on their pre-emptive strike. Since they had not had the chance to discuss details of the mission, Michonne thought she might be able to gain some insights from Sasha.

"I don't know," she answered Sasha, who now chose to look at her with eyebrows raised.

"What?" Michonne asked.

"I find that hard to believe," she replied. "You can read him like a book."

Michonne laughed.

"That maybe so, but I'm not sure right now. How was he on the run?"

"Focussed. Intense. Same as always," said Sasha. "Though he did say somethin' that was a little odd."

"Really? What did he say?" asked Michonne.

"Did he tell you about what we ran into?" Sasha asked.

"Yeah, he mentioned a few of their people waiting to ambush you guys and then Aaron was grazed by a bullet," Michonne replied.

"Right. Well, we caught one of them and started asking some questions. They weren't gonna give anything up to us, but Abraham has his ways of getting someone to talk. The guy was finally talking when Rick came over and asked him if he knew someone named Morgan Jones."

"What did he say to that?" Michonne asked.

"He said he didn't know the man. Rick stuck him with a knife, twisted it and asked again. He still said he had no idea who that was. He seemed satisfied with his answer," Sasha said.

"And you wanna know why he was askin' that in the first place, uh?" asked Michonne.

Sasha nodded.

"This new guy, I thought he was Rick's friend…"

"He is. He saved Rick's life in the beginning," Michonne answered, seemingly quick to leap to Morgan's defence; something that Sasha did not miss.

"Well why is Rick asking if those Wolves knew him? Can we trust him?" queried Sasha.

"Rick is being Rick. Who knows why he does the things he does?" Michonne replied.

"You know why he does what he does, more than any of us. If Rick doesn't trust his friend anymore, should we?" Sasha asked.

She realized now that Rick's paranoia surrounding Morgan was most likely getting the best of him and impacting on others in the group.

"Look. All I know is that Morgan saved Rick's life, so he's one of us. It would have to take him threatening one of our lives to change that. I trust him. I can't speak for Rick, but my word must be worth somethin' around here," said Michonne.

Sasha nodded.

"It is," she offered.

xXxXx

 _I keep it all inside, and I keep going_ , Rick thought as he waited for Michonne to return home from her dinner date with Morgan.

 _That's what I do; I don't talk about what I'm feeling_.

He checked his watch again and noticed that the time was passing and Michonne had yet to waltz through their door.

 _That's gotta change._

The slight throbbing in his temple began to increase as Rick reclined on the sofa and closed his eyes. He practiced all of the things he was going to say to Michonne in his head. How he planned on telling her he needed her and that he wanted her. How he was sorry for causing her to suffer any added stresses. He was determined not to stand in front of her and remain silent; he would speak his mind and from his heart when next he saw her.

…..

There was a crick in Rick's neck as he stretched out on the sofa; in his tired state, he had slept right through the night. That had not happened in some time. He chalked it up to being exhausted from the events of the past few days. He glanced towards the window and noticed that the sun was just beginning to light the sky.

He knew right away that Michonne was most likely not home; she would have woken him and told him to go to bed if she was. Maybe she was still too upset with him, he mused. Rick sighed and sat up. He would endeavour upstairs and see if she was home; he silently promised himself that he would not argue with her when he saw her that day.

…..

 _Michonne clenched her eyes shut tightly and let her head roll backwards at the start of her pleasure. An eager, hungry mouth explored her skin, eliciting a small whimper from her. Her own mouth fell open into a small 'O' shape as a firm hand travelled over her body. Soon, the mouth caught hers in a heated kiss as it supressed an even louder moan that escaped her throat at the sensation of being entered. Only, it was not Rick that was pleasuring Michonne in his mind's eye; it was Morgan._

Rick shook his head in an attempt to force the images from his mind as he stepped out of the shower. He towelled himself off roughly and hurriedly and sought his clothing. After dressing, Rick checked the time on his wrist watch once again, put it on his left arm and exited the bathroom.

He soon found Carl and Judith in the living room after Carl had tidied up what was left over from breakfast.

"She home yet?" Rick asked his son.

The teen shook his head.

"No. Not yet. What the hell, Dad? She's never stayed away all night before. What did you do?" Carl asked of his father.

"Excuse me?" said Rick. "What are you tryin' to say?"

Carl shrugged.

"I dunno; it's just that I know she was upset with you yesterday…"

"That ain't your business…"

"Fine. But you better fix whatever it is that you did; I'm about to take Judith to Maggie," Carl said as he took his little sister to his father so that he could offer her a kiss.

Rick embraced his daughter, passed her back to Carl and watched the both of them head for the door.

"Son," Rick called before Carl stepped outside. "I'll fix it."

xXxXx

Rick took a deep breath as he approached Morgan's front door; it was almost nine-thirty in the morning and Michonne had still failed to return to their home. Rick was beginning to grow more worried. He figured since she had dined with Morgan the night before, maybe she was still there. Rick shuddered at the thought of why she might have spent the night at his friend's home; the images from earlier flashed in his mind. Part of him hoped that she was there so that he did not let those other thoughts invade his mind. Thoughts of her lying injured somewhere after having run away, like she had done so many times back at the prison. Rick lifted his fist and knocked firmly on the door.

After waiting a short moment, Rick was greeted by Morgan who was dressed and ready to begin his day; he was rostered on perimeter check and knew Abraham and Tara would be seeking to be relieved of their duty soon.

"Come on in," said Morgan as he stepped aside and let Rick through his door. "I'm almost ready to check the perimeter but I got a minute to talk."

"Who are you partnered with?" Rick asked, looking around the small living space for any sign of Michonne.

"Aaron," replied Morgan. "Say, Rick; was there somethin' I could help you with or is this just a friendly visit?"

Rick shifted his weight from his right leg to his left.

"Is Michonne here?" Rick asked, getting to the point of why he was there.

"No. Why would she be here?" Morgan responded, confused.

"Because this is where she was last night, right? Y'all had dinner plans or somethin'," said Rick.

"She blew me off. Said she needed time alone. I haven't seen her since yesterday afternoon. What's goin' on, Rick? Is Michonne in trouble?" asked Morgan, clearly concerned for the wellbeing of his new friend.

"I don't know. She didn't come home last night, so I thought she was here with you tryin' to get back at me," he offered as he placed his hands on his hips and began to pace.

Morgan understood what his friend was implying.

"Look, Rick, I'm not sure what you're thinkin'…"

"I'm thinkin' you're screwin' Michonne," Rick said bluntly.

Morgan dropped his head.

"I'm not. But if I was, I don't see how that'd be any o' your concern," he replied.

Rick squinted his eyes and closed some of the distance between them.

"Is that right?" he asked flatly.

"Rick, what's this about? You obviously care about her…"

"Obviously. So why are you goin' out of your way to spend time with her?" he asked.

Morgan shook his head.

"Because I like her company. It's good to have someone to talk to. I'm not doin' it to spite you, if that's what you think. I thought we were all friends here," Morgan said.

Rick sighed.

"We are all friends. I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm tryin' to say here," he offered as he rubbed his creased brow.

"You _care_ about Michonne, don't you? You have feelings for her?" Morgan asked, already knowing the answer.

Rick nodded his head and then looked at the floor.

"Yeah, I do," he proffered. "Of course I do."

Morgan smiled a little as Rick chortled slightly.

"Shit. That's the first time I admitted it out loud," he said, glancing back at his friend.

"Does she know this?" Morgan queried, fairly certain he knew the answer to this question as well.

"I don't think so. I mean I haven't told her. Hell, I haven't even been civil with her these past couple o' days," Rick explained.

"She cares about you too. I can tell by the way her eyes light up when she sees you. You should find her and talk to her," Morgan said just as there was a knock on his door; it was Aaron who had come to collect him.

"I will," replied Rick.

xXxXx

The obvious places to look for Michonne were Maggie and Glenn's house and the watch tower. Rick knocked two times on the door of the former before opening it and entering. He sighed with relief when he saw Michonne sitting next to Carl on the sofa; she was holding Judith while Carl looked upset.

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Rick asked. "Where were you? I was worried sick."

"Sorry. I was with Sasha taking watch. I should've said somethin', I know," Michonne explained in an attempt to quell Rick's anger before it started.

She was tired of arguing with him; she just wanted some peace in her life.

"It's fine, as long as you're okay," he offered softly to her surprise.

Carl stood, looked at them both and rolled his eyes before stomping off in a fit of displeasure, but not before he shot his father a disdainful glare. Rick watched his son leave in a huff, before he threw Michonne a questioning glance.

"He's upset," she said.

"No shit. Should I go after him?" Rick asked.

"No, he just needs some time alone. Which reminds me, can we talk?" Michonne asked of Rick.

"Sure. I was just gonna say the same thing to you," he replied while taking a seat next to her.

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked, pleased that Rick seemed calmer than he had when they had their last conversation.

"Oh, no, you go first," he said with a small smile.

Michonne did not smile back at him as she drew in a deep breath.

"Okay," she started. "Rick, I think I'm gonna find somewhere else to stay."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks for the wonderful reviews severelybabykryptonite; Nay766; KK; shipnation; BlkPunk311; ssaamm23; simple1234; literaturechick; Beautiful77; Guestz; Guest; lanie-love09; RichonneSlag; zeejack; CodeName-M.e; crypticnotions; and sleepywitchysamurai.

Thanks to those who have followed and read silently. You're all appreciated!

* * *

"What?" asked Rick, completely taken aback by Michonne's revelation. "You're gonna do what?

She sighed.

"I think I should find somewhere else to stay because…"

"Wait, wait. You don't want to live with us anymore?" he queried as he stood and began to pace.

"I _do_ want to live with you and the kids, but maybe it's for the best that I don't; maybe we should spend a little time away from each other," Michonne proffered.

Rick ran both hands over his face, stopped and then looked at Michonne.

"We haven't been getting on, Rick…"

"So that's a reason to run away, is it?" he asked. "Like before at the prison."

Now Michonne stood.

"That is _not_ what I was doing," she said.

"Oh really? Seemed like it to me," Rick said.

"What the fuck ever, Rick. This is what I'm talking about. You just get so pissed about god knows what and then you go off on me. I don't like this. I don't like how we're at odds all the time. You gotta start talkin' to me," she said almost pleadingly.

"You wanna talk?" Rick scoffed. "Nah, I think you just wanna run away."

Michonne took a deep breath and let her annoyance subside before she spoke again.

"No, Rick; I'm not running away. I want some space to breathe. This, all of this, it's suffocating me. I don't want to argue with you all the time…"

"And I don't wanna be pissed all the time…"

"Well maybe I should just get my things and go," she said, tears forming in her eyes.

Rick felt a lump in his throat.

"No," he said. "I'll go. You stay here with the kids."

"Rick, I, that's not what I…"

"It's fine. I need time to get my head right. If you need some space, I'll find somewhere to crash and give you that space," he said calmly.

Rick did not want to lose Michonne, but he knew she was right; they did need some time apart and there was no way he was going to put her out of their house. She would be there to protect the children and be safe herself; he would not be too far away and he would not need to worry about them.

"This isn't what I wanted, Rick…"

"The kids will be safe with you; I trust you more than anyone," he proffered softly.

"Thank you," she whispered. "And when you finally feel like _talking_ to me, you know where I am."

xXxXx

Carl spent the remainder of the day locked in his bedroom. Michonne had told him that she would be finding somewhere else to stay for a short while and Carl had taken it to mean she was leaving them. Now that he found out that it was because of a rift between Michonne and his father, and that Rick was moving out, it still did not sit well with him.

"Dinner," he heard Michonne call through the door.

Carl stalked downstairs and was deflated to see that Rick was not there.

"So Dad's really not coming back then?" he said sadly as he took a seat.

"It's just for a little while, Carl. Until we sort some things out," Michonne explained.

"What things?" asked Carl as he used his for to shift the food on his plate.

"Some things between me and him," Michonne sighed, not wanting to give too much away.

"Why is he bein' such a dick?" asked Carl. "I know what this is all about. Why won't he just say it?"

"Say what?" she asked.

"Say that he loves you and get on with it," Carl gave as Michonne tried to look away.

"I don't know," she said quietly. "Really, I don't know."

…..

Michonne pulled her hair back tightly and tied it into a high ponytail as she was getting ready for bed. The day had been a long and emotionally draining one. The house seemed empty without Rick; the void that his absence left behind felt abysmal and deep. Michonne's head hurt.

She slowly made her way down stairs to check the locks before turning in; as she went to the front door, she peered out of the window to find Rick sitting on the front step with his head hanging low. Michonne felt a sharp pang in her heart at the sight of him. She opened the door and spoke in hushed tones.

"Rick?" she questioned. "What are you doin'?"

His head lifted immediately at the sound of her voice; he sighed and turned his head.

"I just wanted to say goodnight to y'all," he said, sounding deflated.

"The kids are in bed already, but come on in," said Michonne as she stepped out of the way to let Rick enter.

He looked at her with such a plaintive expression that Michonne had to avert her gaze.

"Are you okay?" she asked, feeling somewhat guilt stricken for the entire situation.

"I'll be fine," he answered in earnest. "I won't wake 'em, I'm just gonna check on 'em."

"Of course, Rick. You don't have to tell me. The baby's in my room," Michonne offered as she took a seat on the sofa.

Rick nodded and then proceeded up the stairs until he came to Michonne's door. He went in to find Judith's crib against the wall and his sleeping daughter inside of it, oblivious to the troubles of the adults. Rick smiled at her, checked the windows and then kissed his middle and index fingers before pressing his fingers to Judith's forehead lovingly.

"Goodnight, Baby Girl," he whispered. "Daddy will be home soon."

Rick left the door cracked ever so slightly as he tiptoed out of Michonne's room. He then crept quietly into Carl's room and was not surprised to find the teenager still awake.

"Dad!" the boy said excitedly as he sat up in bed. "Are staying? What's going on?"

"No, son. I've just come to say goodnight before I go on watch," Rick explained.

Carl's shoulders slumped at the news.

"What's with the two of you?" he asked. "Can't things just go back to how they were? First Michonne was gonna leave, and now you have; I…I just want things to go back to how they were."

Rick took a seat next to his son; he sometimes forgot that Carl was still very young and did not understand many things.

"I know, so do I. But Michonne and me, we need some time apart," said Rick.

"But why?" asked Carl. "I don't get what happened between the two of you."

"Michonne needs space. I haven't been fair with her lately," Rick explained. "So I gotta give her some time to herself. I need time to think as well."

"To think about what, Dad?" Carl pressed.

"Well, about a few things. About how I've acted since we got here; how I've treated Michonne when all she's ever done was be a good and loyal person to me. There are things that need fixin', Carl. And I gotta do what I can to fix them. If that means spending some time over at Morgan's place, then that's what I gotta do. I love you kids, and Michonne so I need to be better before I can be around you all," Rick offered sincerely. "I can't keep bein' this angry person who lashes out."

"You lashed out at Michonne?" Carl asked.

Rick nodded.

"Yes, I did; a few times actually. I'm not proud of it and I have to learn to deal with my feelings better," he proffered. "Michonne needs a break from me; she needs me out of her hair putting extra pressure on her. She needs time to herself. This is how she's gonna get it."

"What about me and Judy? Does she need time away from us?" asked the teen.

"No. Not at all. What's going on is between me and Michonne; you and Judy haven't done anything wrong. It doesn't change how we feel about you kids. Besides, I'm not goin' very far and I'll see you every day," said Rick.

Carl smiled.

"Okay, as long as you and Michonne know what you're doin'," Carl said.

"I think we do," said Rick.

…..

Rick found Michonne sitting on the sofa where he had left her; her legs pulled up to her chest as she hugged them. He approached her slowly and placed a gentle hand to her bare shoulder.

"Wanna walk me out?" he asked quietly.

Michonne smiled a little and then nodded as she got to her feet and followed Rick outside. She wrapped her arms over her chest in a self-soothing manner as they stood out the front.

"I had a good talk to Carl," said Rick as he looked out across the sleepy street.

"He's pissed," Michonne said.

"Yeah. But he'll be fine. He doesn't understand, but he's tryin' to," Rick offered, finally turning to face Michonne.

They stood in silence a moment, each staring sadly at the other; wishing that things had been different between them.

"Why does this feel like a break up?" Michonne finally asked with a weak smile.

Rick tilted his head to the side.

"I dunno, but it really does," he agreed.

 _Silence_

Rick cleared his throat.

"I should get goin'," he said as he shifted to make his way down the steps.

Michonne nodded as a lump formed in her throat.

"Okay," she whispered.

Rick stood in place as if he did not want to move.

"I do _care_ about you," he said finally. "I'm just not good at talkin' about it."

She nodded once more.

"I know."

Rick dipped his head in her direction.

"Okay. Goodnight," he said as he began to walk away.

"Goodnight, Rick," Michonne replied as she felt a solitary tear escape from the corner of her eye.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thank you all for the tremendous feedback. I was a little worried about that last instalment as I didn't know how people would take it. Sometimes I just want Rick to have a little break; take some time to get his head right. So glad you all agreed. This is set three days after Rick moved out at the beginning.

 **Aurora-of-Aragon:** There you are; I love hearing from you! Thanks! And I definitely think we'll get a Richonne kiss in S6.

* * *

The moon was bright and still high in the sky by the time Rick and Morgan had completed their sweeping perimeter checks while on watch. For the past three days Rick had kept himself busy with sentry duties, fortifying the wall and planning for expansion and development of the Safe-Zone. This was his third straight night watch; he would try to get some sleep for three or four hours and then get up and help tend to the communal garden for a couple of hours, just like he did at the prison.

Tending to the plants helped Rick to order his thoughts and clear his mind; indeed, there was something therapeutic about feeling the cool soil of the earth crumbing under your fingers. Being in the garden offered Rick a quiet moment to himself. It also allowed him access to fresh fruit which he had been leaving on the front step of his house for Michonne and the children to find before they started their day.

Rick knew that he was not the most easy-going person to be around so he appreciated that Michonne, more than anyone else, was still there for him even though they were taking some time apart. He felt as if he was giving her a much needed break as well; that was what gave him comfort presently as being separated from her was eating him up.

As Rick and Morgan made their way along the darkened, empty streets past the house that he, until very recently, shared with Michonne and his children, he instinctively checked it over once more and noticed a faint light coming from Michonne's bedroom window. It seemed she was still awake and Rick sighed as he wondered if she was losing sleep just as he was. The truth was that he missed her so terribly and had to do everything in his power _not_ to go to her.

xXxXx

Michonne's eyes stung and she was tired though sleep evaded her once more. She could not stop thinking about Rick the past few days, even as the time approached two-thirty in the morning she thought of him. Even as she tried to occupy her thoughts with examining the schematics of the Safe-Zone. Michonne was using a pen to mark charts and maps of Alexandria where she thought improvements and developments could be made. It was a job that was in the works, but she found herself being preoccupied with it and focussing much of her energy there.

She checked the time and knew that Rick would soon be finishing his watch duty. She sighed and dropped her marker on top of the papers spread out on her bed.

 _Rick_. _Why did things have to be so complicated with him? Can't he just admit his feelings?_ She thought.

Things would be easier if he could just admit he loved her; they would be able to work it out a lot quicker if Rick could communicate his feelings better. Then, a painful thought crossed Michonne's mind; she thought of the possibility that Rick did not love her like she loved him.

 _This is what you wanted,_ she mused. _You wanted time alone and all you're doing is pushing him away._

Michonne scrunched the papers and tossed them from her bed onto her floor, followed by the pen. She blew out her candle and reclined in her bed, not getting under the covers. She felt a lump form in her throat as she thought about how Rick did not share her feelings; she rolled to her side and wondered if he felt as alone as she did in that moment.

 _A week and a half later_

The floor of the bathroom was wet in certain places as Rick stood in front of the mirror with only a towel wrapped about his waist; small rivulets of water dripped from his hair to his shoulders and then ran down his bare back. He ran his hands over his face where his beard was beginning to grow thick once more. He knew Michonne preferred him clean shaven; she did not have to say anything, but he did recall the look in her eyes and her wide smile when she saw him without his beard for the first time. Things were a lot simpler then, Rick mused as he slathered his face with shaving cream and picked up his razor. He looked at the time on his watch; he knew Michonne would be there at any moment.

…..

Michonne used the small soft-bristled brush to run through Judith's hair; the small girl squirmed while the woman held her in place.

"Come on now, Judy," Michonne pleaded. "We're going to see your daddy soon. Please be a good girl for me."

"Da- _ddy_ ," Judith said plainly.

Michonne's eyes went wide.

"What did you say, Baby Girl? Daddy?" she asked, feeling the excitement grow inside of her.

"Da-ddy," Judith repeated. "Da-ddy, da- _ddy_."

Michonne gripped Judith and spun her around, placing a kiss to her cheek.

"Oh my goodness, Judy! You said your first word!" she exclaimed, drawing her into a hug. "Quick let's go find your shoes so we can see daddy."

Judith clapped her hands together happily and continued saying the only word she knew how to, _daddy._

…..

Rick put the coffee on and was thankful Morgan had left earlier; he was looking forward to eating breakfast with Michonne and Judith that morning. He was pleased Michonne had suggested it and was eager for them to arrive. When he heard the rapping at the front door, he practically sprinted to answer it; the wide smile on his face fell away when he saw that I was not Michonne and Judith meeting him, but Jessie Anderson.

"Morning, Rick!" she said cheerfully.

"Mornin', Jessie," he replied. "What can I do for you?"

She smiled brightly at him as she took in appearance; Rick, with wet hair, only wore his jeans, much like the first time they had met.

"You look good, Rick," she offered as he looked at her awkwardly as he offered thanks.

"What did you need?" he asked, bringing her back to the reason for her visit.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

Rick thought a moment and then stepped to the side, allowing Jessie access. She took a seat on the sofa and then began to speak.

"Are you living here now?" she queried.

Rick shrugged.

"Just for a little while until Michonne lets me go crawlin' back," he said with a slight chuckle.

"I see," said Jessie. "So _she_ kicked you out or something?"

"No," Rick said immediately. "I offered to leave. Needed to give her some time and space."

It did not feel right to him to be discussing his and Michonne's business.

"But that's not what you're here for, is it? Worrying about my current livin' arrangements?" Rick asked.

Jessie blushed and let her eyes roam over his toned body; she went to speak but was interrupted by Rick.

"Look, I'm just gonna throw on a shirt, sit tight; I'll be back in a minute," he said before rushing off to the bathroom to find something that was clean.

As if on cue, Michonne and Judith arrived at Morgan's door; Michonne shifted the baby on her hip and then knocked. Jessie, seeing them through the window, swiftly got up, took out her ponytail, kicked off her shoes and then rushed into the kitchen. Michonne knocked again and this time heard the sound of a woman's voice telling her to enter. She opened the unlocked door and proceeded to make her way in; she stopped when Jessie came out of the kitchen with a smile.

Michonne looked at the woman; she looked _comfortable._

"Where's Rick?" Michonne asked, not bothering with a greeting.

Jessie scrunched up her nose a little before whispering; "Shower."

Michonne felt her stomach drop.

"Coffee's almost ready," she said as she flopped down to the sofa and tucked up her feet.

Michonne shook her head.

"She's so beautiful," Jessie said referring to Judith. "Rick sure talks about her a lot."

Just then Rick entered the living room; he smiled brightly at Michonne and Judith.

"Can I hold her?" Jessie asked.

"No," said Michonne flatly. "I don't know you."

Rick looked at them awkwardly before going to get his daughter from Michonne; he could tell that Michonne was unimpressed with something.

"Jessie, I'm gonna have to have a word with you later on. We've got family plans now," he offered, much to Jessie's chagrin.

"Sure, o-of course," she said as she gathered up her shoes and walked to the door, causing Rick to give her a questioning look.

Michonne watched her walk out the door and closed it behind her; Jessie put her shoes back on and tied up her hair on the front step.

"What the fuck was that?" Michonne asked incredulously, her hands placed on her hips.

Rick's brow furrowed.

"What d'ya mean? Jessie?" he asked, taking a seat with Judith as he looked at Michonne.

"What's she doin' here, Rick? At this time of the day lookin' all cosy while you're in the shower?" she asked.

"Hey now, it's nothin' like that," Rick said as he sat up straighter. "She literally _just_ got here. I went to throw on a shirt…"

"Maybe I should just go," Michonne said as she turned towards the door.

"No," said Rick firmly. "I wanted to see you today."

"Looks like you've had a visitor already," she said, sounding annoyed.

Rick placed Judith down on the floor and walked over to Michonne just as she reached for the door handle.

"No," he said again as he gripped her wrist gently.

Michonne looked down at his hand.

"Sorry," he offered, stepping back and letting go. "Look, this whole thing ain't what you think. Just poor timing."

"You asked me over here to talk about _us_ whatever 'us' means, and then that woman's here with you. What am I supposed to think, Rick?" asked Michonne.

"You think somethin' happened there?" Rick asked.

Michonne shrugged.

"Did something happen? Is this what you wanted all along? To get out of our house so you could do whatever the fuck you want? Fuck whomever you want?" she queried.

The mood turned sour.

"No. Of course not. Is that what you really think I'm doin'?"

"I don't know," said Michonne, annoyed with herself for being so upset in front of Rick. "Look, it's fine. You don't have to explain anything to me. I'll just leave…"

"I don't want you to leave, Michonne. I want you to stay. I want _you_ ," said Rick as he stepped closer and rested his hand on her shoulder.

She held his gaze and saw the tenderness in his eyes; unable to move, she swallowed hard.

"Please don't go," he whispered. "I only want you."

Rick rubbed his hand up and down Michonne's arm gently before cupping her cheek. His stare moved to her lips as he slowly leaned in.

"Da- _ddy._ "

Rick froze and raised his eyebrow to Michonne who was now smiling.

"Da- _ddy_!" Judith repeated.

Rick turned around to see his daughter reaching for him.

"When did this happen?" Rick asked Michonne as he went to his daughter and picked her up.

He sat with her on the sofa and held her up, unable to contain his smile.

"This morning," Michonne explained excitedly. "I was doin' her hair and she kept calling out to you."

Michonne sat next to them and watched as Judith ran her tiny fingers over Rick's clean shaven face.

"She likes when I don't have the beard," said Rick as he smiled at Michonne.

They had forgotten about their small spat and what followed.

"Yeah, me too," she said happily.

Rick chuckled.

"That's why I shaved," he said before looking back at Judith. "Come on, Baby Girl. Say it again."

Judith grabbed Rick's nose and spoke once more.

"Da- _ddy_. Da- _ddy_ ," she repeated again and again, causing Rick to laugh and pepper her face with kisses.

Michonne watched them and felt her heart swell with love; she reached over and took Judith's hand.

"Were you practicing with her?" Rick asked.

"Nah," said Michonne as Rick glanced over at her. "I guess I was just talkin' about you all the time. You know, at bedtime and in the morning…Well, all the time, really," she offered with a small, coy smile.

"Sayin' all good things I hope," he said playfully.

Michonne nodded.

"For the most part," she said jokingly, causing Rick to smile wider.

"Guess I deserved that," he said.

"Yeah, a little. I really just talked about how much I missed you; she just smiled and giggled," Michonne said, pressing her lips to Judith's hand.

Rick watched Michonne before he took hold of her hand, gently stroking her fingers with his thumb. He shifted slightly and then leaned in closer, softly offering her a chaste kiss before drawing away and whispering: "I missed you too."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hi all. This is the final instalment in this story since we are gearing up for 6B and I want to explore other scenarios. I wanted to thank you all for your support with this story. I appreciate every single favourite, follow and review. You, dear readers, are amazing! This is short but sweet, I think. Enjoy!

* * *

Michonne stared at Rick a moment; it was the first time that they had shared a kiss. Even though it was languid and innocent, it still caused a shiver to course through her body. He wore a small smile and looked at her adoringly while waiting for her to respond. She had not pushed him away, so he guessed he had done the right thing. He moved in to kiss her again, this time Michonne blinked quickly and pulled away.

"We shouldn't do this now," she said quietly.

Rick looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Why not?" he asked, as she drew her hand away from his and stood.

"We still have things to sort out, Rick," said Michonne as she averted her gaze. Rick sighed and scratched his head.

"So you don't want this?" he asked, gesturing between the two of them.

"Want what, Rick? Why can't you say it?" asked Michonne, growing frustrated.

Rick sighed and sat Judith down on the floor before he stood and walked over to Michonne.

"I'm not good at talking," he said, standing close to her.

"You can literally give a speech to a group of people to fire them up, ready for battle, but you can't tell me how you feel or what you want?" said Michonne incredulously.

Rick shrugged. Michonne placed her hand to his chest; she felt his heart racing.

"Just tell me what's in here," she whispered.

Rick placed his hand over the top of Michonne's and stared deep into her eyes. Rick cupped her face and drew his closer; he had every intention of pressing his lips to hers once more.

"Rick," she said softly. "I need to hear you say it. I need you to tell me you care for me."

"I do care for you, Michonne," he said, running his thumb over her bottom lip. "I've always cared for you, even when I wasn't sure what it meant. I was just afraid to say anything."

"Why?" she asked, feeling electricity from him touch. "You know you can tell me anything."

Rick sighed.

"I was so afraid that I'd lose your friendship; that I'd mess it all up if I told you I was fallin' for you. I didn't think you'd want me," he said in earnest. "I know I don't deserve you, not by a long shot so I guess that held me back as well."

"You deserve happiness. We all deserve something more, Rick. Maybe we can find it together," Michonne said quietly as she leaned in and kissed his mouth softly.

Rick wrapped his arms around her body, drew her closer and deepened the kiss. Breathlessly, they drew apart and offered one another coy smiles.

"That's what I want, for us to be together," Rick said with sincerity.

Michonne nodded.

"Me too," she said before pressing her forehead to his just as Judith spoke again: " _Da_ -ddy."

Rick looked from his daughter, to Michonne and then smiled.

"Stay for dinner?" he asked.

She nodded and grinned; "Okay."

xXxXx

Rick, Michonne, Carl, Judith and Morgan sat around the dining table and ate their meal; laughter was in abundance as they recounted light-hearted stories from the week. Carl was busy relaying the details of some incident or another that occurred at school to Michonne. She laughed uproariously and threw her head back as Carl swore what he was telling her was true. Rick smiled warmly at them and felt a sense of contentment fill his being.

He felt a contentment with his life, regardless of how difficult and dangerous it had become to live in the world in its present state. He was happy with the life he had fought so hard to preserve and new life her promised to build; he had gone to war and was scarred by his battles, and now, after the dust had settled and wounds had healed, he was ready to live. He felt a warmth inside of him as he looked around the table at his family's smiling faces. So long as he had them, he would be okay.

…..

Rick and Michonne stood out on the front porch and watched as Carl took Judith home; they had both agreed to talk a little more after their evening meal. Rick leaned against the wooden railing and looked out into the shiftless street. The sun was just falling behind the treetops as the last rays of sunlight washed over him and Michonne. Rick took the opportunity to admire her beauty as the soft sunlight caressed her smooth skin; he stood mesmerized a moment while Michonne spoke.

"Sorry?" asked Rick, missing what she had said; totally enchanted by her elegant features.

Michonne shook her head amusedly; she had become accustomed to Rick's intense stare which indicated his mind had yet again wandered.

"I asked are we really going to do this?" said Michonne as she stood up straighter and turned to face Rick directly. "I know it's what I want, but I guess I need to hear you say you want it to."

He reached down and took a hold of her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before rubbing his thumb over her slender fingers.

"We're doin' this," said Rick as he stepped closer to Michonne; his heart swelled at the look of adoration and an inkling of fear in her eyes.

He knew exactly how she felt, because he felt it too; so in love but afraid of making yet another mistake. Rick lifted his other hand up to caress Michonne's face; she exhaled silently as relief washed over her.

"This is what I want. I want to be with the woman I love, Michonne. I want to be with you. I want one more day with a chance," Rick said as he stepped closer, sealing it with a kiss. He knew, regardless of what might lie ahead, he would face the challenges, weather the battles and feel renewed, supported and strengthened while he had Michonne by his side.

 _The End._


End file.
